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Roman camp dating to Severan period. Most of the north and south sides of the camp and fragmentary stretches of the west and east sides show as cropmarks. Field investigation revealed no surface indication of camp or road and no recent finds. A small excavation revealed a bank 5.48 m wide at base x 2.03 m high, and a ditch 2.43 - 3.04 m wide. Two possible field ovens were found on the interior of the fort. A programme of archaeological investigation was undertaken in 1996-7 by CFA along the route of the A96 Kintore bypass, including examination of the northern and western perimeters of the temporary camp. A total length of 58 m of the perimeter ditch was exposed. It was excavated at the ditch terminal and three sections along its length. Fills of the ditch indicated gradual silting up. On the surface a band of gravel was noticeable along the eastern edge and represents where the defensive bank had eroded back into the ditch. No evidence for re-cutting visible in the main length of the ditch, although the terminal revealed clear traces of being re-cut by a pit. The titulus was located 12 m west of the line of the perimeter ditch. It was 12 m long. No diagnostic artefacts were recovered from either the fill of the perimeter ditch or the titulus. A series of pits extending along the inside edge of the camps perimeter ditch may represent the remains of a light fence respecting the line of the ditch, but it is difficult to demonstrate that these features were contemporary with the initial use of the camp. The excavation also revealed a dense spread of plough truncated features of various periods. This included a spread of pits containing Neolithic material: plain bowls, flint, quartz, Arran pitchstone, a leaf shaped arrowhead, and burnt hazelnut shells. One pit contained decorated sherds of either late Neolithic Impressed Ware or an urn. The remains of four possible structures were recorded. Structure 1 consisted of a shallow scoop containing numerous sherds of coarse pottery surrounded by truncated post-holes and pits. Structure 2 was extremely truncated and consisted of a concentration of very shallow pits and stakeholes. Structure 3 consisted of a shallow circular scoop (circa 0.25 m deep) and circa 10 m in diameter. It had a slight ring ditch enclosing a central area circa 6 m long by 4 m wide, which bore traces of ard marks. There was a four-post arrangement to the southeast presumably for a porched entrance. The structural timbers appear to be located around the outer edge of the scoop. Finds from this structure include portions of two crushed coarse ware vessels. Structure 4 consisted of an arc of burnt material and a number of post-holes. There is a possible hearth in the centre of the structure. To the north and east of the burnt arc there was a shallow curvilinear slot that cut across the top of the infilled Roman ditch. In 2000, plans to build houses on site (Forest Road development) resulted in large-scale excavation by AOC May - Dec 2000 (see NJ71NE0204). An evaluation by AOC in March 2002 on a circa 1ha proposed development site at Henderson Drive recorded archaeological remains ranging in date from Neolithic to the Roman period, including a possible henge, five possible ring ditch houses and 13 Roman ovens. In 2003-4 evaluation and excavation were carried out by AOC in advance of a new Primary School (NJ71NE0182), with the southwest corner of the camp. A watching brief carried out in 2004 by S. Farrell at a site on Forrest Road revealed shallow ditch within camp perimeter, no archaeological finds.
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Historic Environment Records (HER)