Scheduled MonumentsScotlandCrawford,Roman fort
Iron Age · Roman fort

Crawford,Roman fort

Scotland
HES SM2632
Period
Iron Age
Site type
Roman fort
Nation
Scotland
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic Environment Scotland

Overview

History & significance

Crawford Roman fort is a military installation in Lanarkshire, Scotland, established during Rome's occupation of Britain. The fort occupies a strategic position overlooking the River Clyde valley, built upon bedrock comprising the Portpatrick and Glenwhargen Formations. These Caradocian wackes provided a stable foundation for the substantial timber and stone structures required by the Roman garrison. The site's geology, combining exposed rock outcrops with the river corridor below, would have offered both defensive advantages and a reliable water supply essential to fort operations.

The fort represents the Roman army's commitment to controlling southern Scotland during the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. Its location on the Clyde allowed the Romans to monitor movement through this key valley and maintain supply routes northwards. The underlying bedrock geology of the area influenced construction methods and the fort's ability to withstand military pressure and harsh weather.

Crawford Roman fort is protected as a scheduled monument under Historic Environment Scotland reference SM2632, recognising its significance as evidence of Roman military infrastructure in Scotland. The fort contributes to our understanding of Rome's northern frontier strategy and the landscape of Roman-occupied Britain beyond Hadrian's Wall. Archaeological investigation of the site continues to illuminate the daily life and operational scale of Roman forces stationed in this remote region.

Crawford,Roman fort is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2632. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Crawford,Roman fort?

Crawford Roman fort is a military installation in Lanarkshire, Scotland, established during Rome's occupation of Britain. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2632.

What period does Crawford,Roman fort date from?

Crawford,Roman fort dates from the iron age period, and is classified as a roman fort. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting Crawford,Roman fort?

Crawford,Roman fort is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic Environment Scotland — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Scotland. The official designation reference is SM2632.

What other scheduled monuments are near Crawford,Roman fort?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Glengeith, settlement, bastle house and field system (4.6 km), Bodsberry Hill to Little Clyde,Roman road (5.5 km), Air Cleuch,cairns 1300m S of Glengeith (5.9 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Crawford,Roman fort

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Crawford,Roman fort's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with every monument and battle plotted, and a plain-language history built only from what the record holds.
Monuments
The legally protected scheduled monuments around the location, each with its period, type and significance.
Battlefields
The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.
Roman Britain
The Roman roads, forts and towns near here, and the Iron Age people who held the land before Rome arrived.
Stat Accounts
The parish Statistical Accounts of the 1790s and 1830s, describing life, work and population here.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
Local Names
What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.
Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
Literature
The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Legal
The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Target Zones
For detectorists: the most promising ground to search nearby, ranked by confidence, with what to expect.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from prehistory to the present day.
First month just £4.99, then £9.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Crawford,Roman fort report
Or see a real report first
The ground beneath

The bedrock under Crawford,Roman fort

Crawford,Roman fort stands on Portpatrick Formation And Glenwhargen Formation (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Caradocian. The rock here is wacke.