History and traditions of the land of the Lindsays in Angus and Mearns

FINHAVEN — GAMP OF BATTLE-DYKE,S. 177
supposes the battle of the Grampians to have been fought),
that of Battle-dykes is not only the largest in the district, but
nearly two-thirds greater than that of Ardoch in Perthshire. It
is believed that this camp was employed by Agricola in the year
81 j and connected with those of Ardoch and Grassy-walls by a
Roman road, which passed through the south-eastern part of
Angus-shire, and from thence to Rae-dykes, by the camps of
Keithock, near Brechin, and Fordoun in the Mearns. In cor-
roboration of this, when General Roy made his survey of the
Roman camps throughout Scotland, he says, in reference to
that of Battle-dykes : — " It appears to me to be one of the
most entire of the kind hitherto discovered ; at the same time
that the similarity of its figure and dimensions prove indisputably
that it held the same army formerly encamped at Ardoch and
Grassy-walls."*
It is also worthy of remark, that the names of some of the
the places in the district of Finhaven are curious. These are
the King's Palace, the King's Seat, and the King's Bourne —
all of which are on the farm of Battle-dykes, and within the
limits of the Roman Camp, and, perhaps, refers to the time
when the lands were in the hands of royalty. At the King's
Palace, six clay urns were found about twenty years ago, but
nothing is preserved of the style of their manufacture. At the
same place, about six hundred cart loads of stones were taken
away for building purposes, and it is supposed that nearly
as many more are still there ; and as stones are comparatively
scarce on the adjoining ground, it is probable that those which
composed the " palace " had been gathered from these parts.
Stone coffins with human remains have been found through-
out the whole district. Three of these were exhumed some
years ago in the hillock adjoining the dove-cot, and were all
composed of rude stone flags, and about four feet and a half
long, with the heads lying towards the east, while one of them
contained the additional and interesting relic of a large iron
spur, which was unfortunately carried off by the workmen, and
* In reference to the Camp of Rae-dykes, General Roy says, " In this neighbourhood we
are to look for the scene of the celebrated battle [Mons Grampius]; for, the nature of the country
seems to point out that the Caledonians would take post on the Grampian Mountains towards
their eastern extremity, where the plain becomes narrow, from the near approach of that lofty
range to the sea."— Military Antiquities, pp. 85, Sfl, 87.
u