Skip to content
© Historic Environment Scotland

Westerwood

Beyond the west end of the Cumbernauld Airport runway is the site of a Roman fort.

Visiting Westerwood

Facilities at or near this site

  • parking iconParking

Accessibility

The site of this fort can be accessed from behind the Castlecary House Hotel, east of Castlecary village on the B816. A kissing gate gives access into the field, past the sites at Garnhall and then Tollpark. Continue along the waymarked path, past the airport, golf course, a ruined cottage and over a burn until the farm at Westerwood is reached.

The walk from the hotel is about 2.5 miles over unpaved fields.

More information

Learn more about the local area on the council’s website.

Council's Website

Find out more about visiting here at Visit Scotland.

Visit Scotland

History

Now covered by Westerwood farm, Westerwood was one of the smallest forts on the Antonine Wall. An altar dedicated by Vibia Pacata, the wife of a Roman centurion, suggests the fort was stationed by the Sixth Legion. No other Roman military units are known from Westerwood, but it is likely that the fort was primarily garrisoned by auxiliary soldiers.

© Crown Copyright HES Altar to Silvanus found at Westerwood Fort, now in Kinneil Museum. A stone altar with a carved Latin inscription.

© Crown Copyright HES

What can I see today?

Very little is visible on the ground now, but sections of the fort’s southern defensive ditches may be traced as subtle hollows within the field.

Reconstruction of Westerwood Fort.

What was found there?

An altar, now in Kinneil Museum, was found west of the fort site, dedicated to two goddesses by the wife of a centurion in the Sixth Legion.

Distance Slab, Westerwood

Where can I learn more?

Find out more about the discovery and investigation of Westerwood fort.

Home to both soldiers and civilians, learn about the lives of the people who made the Antonine Wall their home.

Explore 3D models of artefacts discovered on the Antonine Wall.

Explore More Sites

Croy Hill

© Rediscovering the Antonine Wall Project

Tollpark and Garnhall

© Crown Copyright HES