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Article ON THE VITRIFIED FORTS IN NORTH BRITAIN. Page 1 of 5 →
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On The Vitrified Forts In North Britain.
ON THE VITRIFIED FORTS IN NORTH BRITAIN .
BY BRO . THOMAS PRYER , OF THE OAK LODGE . ANCIENT operative Masonry has left many wonders upon the face of the earth , and these are not alone confined to the vallies of the Nile and of the Euphrates ; to the rock-cut temples of India , or the classical remains of ancient Greece and Rome ; but some are to be found within the circuit of the British isles , and among these the remains of the vitrified forts in the highlands of Scotland are not the least interesting . Indeed
, the manner in which these forts were constructed has long been a vexata questio amongst antiquarians ; some imagining the vitrification to have accidently resulted from the conflagration of the forts at the time of their demolition ; and others supposing that this peculiarity formed part of the original design ; though in what particular manner it was effected , they were unable satisfactorily to determine . Much difference of opinion therefore existed as to their peculiar mode of construction ; but with
regard to their antiquity , all were agreed that their origin must be referred to a period anterior to the Roman invasion , and they were generally supposed to have been built by the primitive Celtic inhabitants of Caledonia . I had given some attention to these forts , and had referred to the various authorities upon the subject , without being enabled to form anything like a satisfactory conclusion , when being in the vicinity of one , believed to be the most perfect in Britain , I resolved to examine further , and to make such a careful and minute inspection of the remains as would
enable me to give an accurate description , and provide such particulars as might ultimately , perhaps , be the means of throwing some additional light upon this hitherto obscure subject . The fort I allude to is situated upon the summit of CRAIG PHADRIO , in Invernesshire . I was accompanied during my excursion by Bro . JOHN JEFFKINS , who assisted in making the necessary researches , being equally anxious with myself to procure all possible information upon this subject . Accordingly , on a fine morning in Augustwe ascended to the summit of Craig Phadrica
, , rock forming one of a ridge of mountains lying betiveen the town o £ Inverness and Loch Ness . Craig Phadric is a bold eminence , conical in shape , and elevated 1150 feet above the Caledonian Canal , which runs at its base . A more commanding spot , or a better situation for a fort , could not possibly be found , as the view from the summit is uninterrupted in every direction , overlooking the Moray Firth , Loch Beaulieu , the town of Inverness , the
plain of Culloden , the vales of the Ness and Conan , and embracing ranges of the Grampian mountains towards the south , and towards the north , the mountains of Ross-shire , crowned by the snowy summit of Ben Wyvis . It is therefore evident that the site was well selected , combining , as it did , the double advantage of a place of defence and post of observation . Not only is the inland view extensive , but the point completely overlooks the estuary of the Moray Firth , the only spot in that part of the coast where a landing could formerly have been effected . The fort occupies the entire summit of the hill . In shape it is a parallelogram , being about one hundred and fifty feet in length , and one hundred in breadth . The walls are plainly traceable during their entire
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On The Vitrified Forts In North Britain.
ON THE VITRIFIED FORTS IN NORTH BRITAIN .
BY BRO . THOMAS PRYER , OF THE OAK LODGE . ANCIENT operative Masonry has left many wonders upon the face of the earth , and these are not alone confined to the vallies of the Nile and of the Euphrates ; to the rock-cut temples of India , or the classical remains of ancient Greece and Rome ; but some are to be found within the circuit of the British isles , and among these the remains of the vitrified forts in the highlands of Scotland are not the least interesting . Indeed
, the manner in which these forts were constructed has long been a vexata questio amongst antiquarians ; some imagining the vitrification to have accidently resulted from the conflagration of the forts at the time of their demolition ; and others supposing that this peculiarity formed part of the original design ; though in what particular manner it was effected , they were unable satisfactorily to determine . Much difference of opinion therefore existed as to their peculiar mode of construction ; but with
regard to their antiquity , all were agreed that their origin must be referred to a period anterior to the Roman invasion , and they were generally supposed to have been built by the primitive Celtic inhabitants of Caledonia . I had given some attention to these forts , and had referred to the various authorities upon the subject , without being enabled to form anything like a satisfactory conclusion , when being in the vicinity of one , believed to be the most perfect in Britain , I resolved to examine further , and to make such a careful and minute inspection of the remains as would
enable me to give an accurate description , and provide such particulars as might ultimately , perhaps , be the means of throwing some additional light upon this hitherto obscure subject . The fort I allude to is situated upon the summit of CRAIG PHADRIO , in Invernesshire . I was accompanied during my excursion by Bro . JOHN JEFFKINS , who assisted in making the necessary researches , being equally anxious with myself to procure all possible information upon this subject . Accordingly , on a fine morning in Augustwe ascended to the summit of Craig Phadrica
, , rock forming one of a ridge of mountains lying betiveen the town o £ Inverness and Loch Ness . Craig Phadric is a bold eminence , conical in shape , and elevated 1150 feet above the Caledonian Canal , which runs at its base . A more commanding spot , or a better situation for a fort , could not possibly be found , as the view from the summit is uninterrupted in every direction , overlooking the Moray Firth , Loch Beaulieu , the town of Inverness , the
plain of Culloden , the vales of the Ness and Conan , and embracing ranges of the Grampian mountains towards the south , and towards the north , the mountains of Ross-shire , crowned by the snowy summit of Ben Wyvis . It is therefore evident that the site was well selected , combining , as it did , the double advantage of a place of defence and post of observation . Not only is the inland view extensive , but the point completely overlooks the estuary of the Moray Firth , the only spot in that part of the coast where a landing could formerly have been effected . The fort occupies the entire summit of the hill . In shape it is a parallelogram , being about one hundred and fifty feet in length , and one hundred in breadth . The walls are plainly traceable during their entire