Roman BritainMuir O' Fauld
Roman Fort · Military

Muir O' Fauld

Roman Britain
Pleiades ID: 814043436
Site type
Fort
Category
Military
Latitude
56.3521
Longitude
-3.6486
Overview

History & context

Muir O' Fauld is a small Roman timber watchtower on the Gask Ridge in Perthshire, part of the line of signal towers and forts strung along the Roman road between Ardoch and Bertha. It was active in the Flavian period, broadly c. AD 70s–80s, likely established under Agricola and abandoned when Rome withdrew from Scotland in the mid-80s. Like its neighbours, it consisted of a single timber tower set within a small circular ditched and ramparted enclosure roughly 12–15 m across.

Source: Pleiades — A Community-Built Gazetteer and Graph of Ancient Places. View the Pleiades record →

Significance

Historical significance

The Gask Ridge system is one of the earliest known Roman frontier installations anywhere in the empire, predating Hadrian's Wall by some four decades, and Muir O' Fauld is one of its best-preserved surviving towers. It functioned as a signalling and surveillance post controlling the approach to the Highland line.

Archaeology

Archaeological record

The earthworks — a low circular bank and external ditch with traces of the central tower platform — remain visible in woodland and were noted in early antiquarian surveys; targeted modern excavation here has been limited, with most interpretive evidence drawn from work at comparable Gask towers such as Parkneuk and Kaims Castle. No substantial artefact assemblage has been published from the site itself.

About this site

Questions & answers

What is Muir O' Fauld?

Muir O' Fauld is a small Roman timber watchtower on the Gask Ridge in Perthshire, part of the line of signal towers and forts strung along the Roman road between Ardoch and Bertha. It is recorded in the Pleiades gazetteer of ancient places as a fort site from the Roman period in Britain.

What type of Roman site is Muir O' Fauld?

Muir O' Fauld is classified as a Roman fort — a military site in the Pleiades ancient world gazetteer. Roman Britain's archaeology encompasses thousands of sites ranging from legionary fortresses and marching camps to villas, temples and towns.

What other Roman sites are near Muir O' Fauld?

Several Roman sites lie within a short distance, including Dunning camp (5.8 km), Strageath (8.3 km), Fendoch (9.8 km). Aubrey Research maps over 2,200 Roman sites across Britain, drawn from the Pleiades ancient world gazetteer.

How can I research the history of the area around Muir O' Fauld?

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