Auld Kilpaitrick

Auld Kilpatrick an the Kilpatrick Hills frae the ither syd o the Forth an Clyde Canal

Auld Kilpatrick (Scots Gaelic: Cill Phàdraig, meinin "Patrick's kirk") is a veilage in Wast Dunbartonshire, Scotland. It ligs oan the north bank o the River Clyde juist til the north o the Forth an Clyde Canal, thrie mile frae Clydebank oan the road ti Dumbairton. Til the Wast is Bowlin, til the North is the Kilpatrick Hills.

The veilage's Gaelic name cums frae a fowktale that Saunt Patrick wis born thar an Saunt Patrick's Wall is in the aurie. The "Auld" pairt o the name cums frae 1649, whan Kilpatrick parochine wis sindert in twa; New (Eister) Kilpatrick parochine kirk wis biggit in Bearsden an the kirk o Kilpatrick becam the "Auld" kirk.

Roman fort

The wastren end o the Antonine Waw wis at Auld Kilpatrick (the eistren end, 59 km awa, wis at Brigness on the Firth o Forth). The waw itsel haed been dichtit but the gate wis scanced durin the 18t yeirhunder an follaed til the Chaipil Hill whaur sindrie Roman airtifaks war foond.

Whan the Forth an Clyde Canal wis bein howkit in 1790 the wrak o a Roman bathhouss wis foond. In 1913 the larach o a fort wis foond anaw. Houaniver it wis no till 1923 that mukkil airkeologie wis unnertaen, whilk estaiblisht the girst an kynd o the fort. Biggit aboot 81 CE, it ocupee'd an aurie o aboot fower akers wi an ooter defensive waw. Biggins inower the waw included a praetorium (heidsteid), barraks an a grange. Mukkil development stappit forder howkin, an nocht o the wraks can be seen the-day. Thay lig anaith the houses o Gavinburn Gairdins til the eist, a mukkil commercial biggin til the wast an the A814 road til the north.