AN unexpected historical discovery has been made at Scottish Water's site at Glencorse, near Penicuik — a Roman marching camp nearly 2000 years old.
The revelation has provided another clue as to how the Romans organised their occupation of the Lothians.It had not been confirmed whether the site was, in fact, a Roman marching camp, which had previously only been suggested by aerial photographs.
Scottish Water's stakeholder manager for the Glencorse Water Treatment Works Project Kenny Naylor said: "We carry out a detailed site investigation on all sites as a matter of course, and found a change in the soil when we were digging the ground.
"We quickly contacted the regional archaeologist who was able to confirm the existence of a Roman marching camp on the site."
It is believed the site, which is part of a network of other bases, watchtowers and camps across lowland Scotland, was situated to guard a gap in the Pentland Hills to the northwest of Flotterstone and the line of an east-west Roman road which skirted the foothills of the Pentlands.
