| Watling Lodge | |
| Built During Reign Of: | Antoninus Pius |
| Founded: | 142 AD |
| Robust Struct Material: | Turf |
| Province: | Britannia |
| Coordinates: | 55.9976°N -3.8253°W |
| Map: | Scotland Central Belt |
| Map Relief: | 1 |
| Location Town: | Near Tamfourhill |
| Location County: | Falkirk |
| Location Country: | Scotland |
| Condition: | Ruined |
Watling Lodge was a Roman fortlet on the Antonine Wall in Scotland.[1] It was located near what is now Lock Sixteen on the Forth and Clyde Canal in Falkirk with neighbouring forts at Rough Castle to the west and Falkirk to the east.[2] There was also a fort at Camelon to the north. There was also a Roman temporary camp found a short distance south of the site.[3]
Watling Lodge has been described as the best preserved stretch of ditch from the Antonine Wall still in existence today.[4] It is situated along Tamfourhill Road, south-west of Falkirk.[5] This stretch is excellently preserved.[6] One of the best overviews of the site is the video of the Bridgeness Slab by Falkirk Council,[7] presented by Geoff Bailey, Keeper of Archeology and Local History at Falkirk Museum, from about 4 minutes 30s.
In Falkirk, the site is signposted from the A9 and is accessed from the B816, Tamfourhill Road.[8] There is an information panel fairly close to the top of the wall.[9] The panel shows how the Wall may have looked, and suggests Watling Lodge's place in the grand design of the construction.[10]
Sir George Macdonald wrote about the site.[11] A digital reconstruction of the fortlet has been created.[12] A Minecraft model of the site has also been constructed.[13]
Many Roman forts along the wall held garrisons of around 500 men.[14] Larger forts like Castlecary and Birrens had a nominal cohort of 1000 men[15] but probably sheltered women and children[16] as well, although the troops were not allowed to marry.[17] It is likely that large communities of civilians were located around the site.[18]