On Saturday May 5th 2001, the Scottish TTFF met up for the first time. We seem to be few and far between north of the border, but at least four of us (including the ubiquitous Co.) had indicated availability for this particular weekend, so we had decided to go ahead and organise something. In view of the Foot and Mouth crisis, we had decided that we would stick to an urban site, and the idea of a visit to Stirling, that most historic of Scottish towns, began to take shape.

The eventual programme was to be a morning visit to Stirling Castle followed by an afternoon at the Bannockburn battlefield. 

Note to readers:- if anyone feels like following in our footsteps, try doing it the other way round. We discovered too late that if you pay the entrance fee at Bannockburn, you get a voucher entitling you to 10% off the entry to other Stirling attractions including the Castle!!

So at 10am, on a beautiful sunny morning, we met up at the entrance bridge across the castle moat. Numbers had changed in the last few days before the meet, Alison had come down with a bug, the male contingent of Co.’s family had decided to forsake culture and history for the dubious delights of football in Dundee, and Co.’s Mum had developed a tooth infection (what a birthday present!). 

In compensation however we had gained the sister and brother of Pete from Trimontium, Sue and Dominic. So our full roll call read myself (Valerie), and son Joshua, Co., her sister Jacks, Jacks’ daughter Siobhan, Pete from Trimontium, and Sue with Dominic.

We processed across the bridge and went to pay our tickets, before moving on into the main part of the castle. And which cultural highlight did we make for first? – the newly restored Great Hall, the Chapel Royal, the re-constructed Kitchens? No you guessed it – the Coffee shop!!! 

It was such a beautiful morning we gathered our refreshments and went outside to sit on the roof terrace and watch the world (or at least the portion of it that had made its way to Stirling that morning!) go by whilst getting to know one another. 

We spotted that some of our fellow imbibers (nothing stronger than coffee, honest guv’) were not dressed as we – a redcoat and a highlander with a fine bunnet. So in the cowardly way that all adults have, we sent the youngest member of our party (Siobhan) to go and enquire what they were going to be doing and when! 

She reported back that a Jacobite would be doing a presentation at 10.45, and that they would be recruiting in the Inner Courtyard at 11.15. Thus, suitably fortified with both warm drinks and knowledge, we moved on into the main part of the Castle, armed with our guide books, prepared to learn about both mediaeval and 18th century fortifications.

 We had barely begun to explore the Castle and had only reached the dazzlingly lime washed Great Hall (which prompted Joshua to remark that it stuck out like a sore thumb and that he didn’t care if that was what it was like originally they should have done it all like that – but he wouldn’t offer to pay for it to be done!) when the redcoat rounded us all up to go and meet the Jacobite. 

Seated in an apartment of the Royal Palace, we were held spellbound for the best part of half an hour whilst he related the tale of Bonnie Prince Charlie and Stirling’s part in the ‘45 from the Jacobite point of view. He also gave a demonstration of the use of the highlander’s traditional weapon the claymore (the poor American tourist he used as guinea pig didn’t look too delighted at the prospect of being hacked to death – funny that!) 

Thereafter we were introduced to the delights of the basket-hilted sword, the dirk and targe and the sgian dhu – apparently the claymore was out of fashion by 1745!! Finally he showed us the wearing of the great plaid – the forerunner of the modern kilt – and Siobhan was selected to be dressed in it. She looked absolutely splendid in it. 

By this time however we could hear the drums of the recruiting sargeant in the Inner Courtyard, so we moved on out to hear what he had to say for himself. Talking about life as a 19th century soldier in the 93rd Regiment, he spoke of the delights of service overseas, surgery on the injured, drilling (with recruits from the audience – the oldest of whom can only have been 10 – a quick series of left and right face orders left most of them bemused – but not our Siobhan, who was consequently appointed Captain!) and the bayonet charge which Siobhan withstood manfully (girl-fully?).

On Saturday 31 May 2003 a small unit of the Cantiaci visited the Hurtwood in Surrey to investigate a track which follows a straight alignment across country between Winterfold (TQ 0664 4325) and Holmbury St Mary (TQ 1020 4404). After several apologies for non-availability, attendees were limited to (Sir) Mark and Ron, who enjoyed a gentle stroll through the Surrey countryside in the warm summer sunshine. The trip began at Winterfold Cottage (TQ 0637 4309) which is adjacent to the course of the Roman road which branches off Stane Street at Rowhook and heads for the temple on Farley Heath. Early OS maps show that the trackway we were investigating extended this far west in the 1870s, but there is now no sign on the ground of this extension.  The cottage, which is now hidden behind high hedges and fences (and has been extended at its north end), occupies a substantial area of levelled ground, a rarity in these parts. The 1871 6 inch OS map shows the site of the cottage as a clearing in the forest but no buildings.

We made our way to the point on the alignment where it is occupied by modern tracks. 

Here (TQ 076 435), on a short stretch leading to a road, there is a clear impression of a rounded agger with a metalled surface, with side ditches. The width between the outer faces of the ditches is 7.40 metres and the metalled surface about 5m. 

ditches are initially less pronounced	slight kink to avoid a patch which is damp
On the far side of the road this form of construction continues, although the ditches are initially less pronounced . It makes a slight kink to avoid a patch which is damp even in summer (possibly a spring) , then runs straight for 500m in this form .
runs straight for 500m in this form	a stream has cut through the track
In the middle of this stretch a stream has cut through the track to a depth of 30cm  or maybe a channel has been cut to allow water to escape. Near the far end of the stretch the width between the outer faces of the ditches is 8.0 metres.
Across the road the track once more becomes a footpath as it descends into another 30m deep valley and then re-emerges onto a forest road at the top on the other side.
track once more becomes a footpath	agger effect is much less pronounced here
The agger effect is much less pronounced here, which may be due to recent forestry work, but the ditches are still apparent.
Beyond this point  the track becomes a footpath once more as it starts its descent into a steeply-sided 50 metre deep valley. In places the path has been cut deep by running water
the track becomes a footpath once more	path has been cut deep by running water

Here it leaves the alignment and cuts across the slope to reach the road at Gasson Farm. The reason for this divergence is to allow the steeper slope on the far side of the valley to be climbed more easily. Even with this device the gradient is still substantial .

At the top of the climb the track crosses a road and rejoins precisely the same alignment as before  Once again, the agger-like form with prominent side ditches is apparent .

same alignment as before	prominent side ditches is apparent

At this point the track leaves the alignment. It heads NNE for 200 metres, then takes up a line parallel to its previous alignment. By doing this, it avoids an unnecessary climb over a spur of high ground and instead follows a line which would have passed through the centre of what is now Holmbury St Mary .

Here the track and the alignment come to an end, and we retired to a local hostelry for badly-needed refreshment. On the way back we decided to visit Holmbury Iron Age hillfort, its banks and ditches still prominent 

We then continued over the neighbouring hilltop of Pitch Hill and returned to Winterfold past Ewhurst windmill , pausing to explore the spot where the Rowhook to Farley Heath Roman road emerges onto Winterfold Heath (pic 0488). 

Pitch Hill	Ewhurst windmil
Roman road emerges onto Winterfold Heath
We also explored a substantial terraceway  which descends the western scarp slope of Winterfold, leading down into the valley of the Bramley Wey.

Is the trackway we followed a Roman road? 

Well, we concluded that 

(1) substantial parts of it display the characteristic shape of an agger with side ditches; 

(2) it follows a remarkably straight alignment across very rough and deeply valleyed countryside;

(3) there appears to be no other purpose or function for which a straight track is needed in this area, nor any indication of any sensible way in which it might have been used; 

(4) the resumption of the alignment on the far side of a 50 metre deep, steeply-sided valley is especially noteworthy.
An interesting day.