Wind farm's 'threat' to Roman watch tower

by LESTER CROSS

A public inquiry which is hearing objections to the proposed development of a massive windfarm in the Scottish Borders will re-convene later this month when the perceived threat to the cultural heritage in a landscape unchanged for centuries will be examined in detail.

The siting of 45 turbines across a vast tract of unspoilt countryside by CWL Energy Ltd. would make the so-called Faw Side wind farm the largest in the region. However, proposals have been unveiled recently for a 60+ turbine scheme in nearby Teviotdale.

In July the ongoing inquiry being conducted by Scottish Government planning reporter Claire Milne had to be  placed on hold due to the lack of availability of parties to partake in the inquiry and the Ministry of Defence session not taking place. There are serious concerns that the Faw Side blades could have a devastating impact on the unique Eskdalemuir nuclear testing tracking station.

At next week's session Historic Environment Scotland (HES) will set out its position regarding the impact that the proposed wind farm would have on the setting of a nationally important scheduled monument known as Eweslees, Watch Tower, commonly referred to as ‘Ewes Doors Watch Tower’ should the turbines be consented, constructed and become operational.

Among more than 1,200 documents already before the Reporter is a report compiled by Dr Mary MacLeod Rivett of the HES Planning, Consents and Advice Team. Dr MacLeod Rivett considers applications for works to scheduled monuments across southern Scotland and responds to statutory planning consultations relating to scheduled monuments and World Heritage Sites across the same area.

The monument consists of the remains of a Roman Watch Tower (sometimes referred to as a signal station). The remains survive as a small mound approximately 17.5m in diameter, circular in plan and approximately 0.6m high. The small mound is enclosed by a ditch approximately 1.15m wide and 0.15m deep, which is further enclosed by an external bank up to 4m wide and 0.4m high. 

The summit of the mound has been levelled and is approximately 11m in diameter with a circular bank 2.7m wide and 0.15m high. The enclosure has an entrance to the north-north-west which leads to a causeway which crosses the ditch. The interior of the enclosure is approximately 5m across. The timber Roman Watch Tower would have been erected within this area of the enclosure.

Dr MacLeod Rivett explains in her report: "The Watch Tower was first identified in 1962, when it was recorded as circular mound of unknown origin. It was then subsequently visited in 1980 when it was recorded as a possible barrow. This interpretation led to the monument being included as a possible cairn in an inventory of Bronze Age mounds in 1984. 

"The monument was subsequently visited in 1996 by field surveyors who identified the mound as the remains of a timber Roman Watch Tower, a monument type well represented in the archaeological record of Scotland. The monument was further surveyed in 2005 and 2015 , when a detailed plan of the monument was produced. These surveys confirmed the Roman character of the monument. The characteristic form of the monument means that there is no doubt about the type of monument; it is a Roman Watch Tower. Although its date has not been confirmed, it probably dates to the late first century or second century AD, and comparison with other monuments indicates that a late-first/early-second century date is most probable."

The document adds that the monument was scheduled in 2010. It is of national importance because of its field characteristics, its rarity as a visible Watch Tower, and its contribution to our understanding of Roman control over the southern Scotland. The setting of the Roman Watch Tower is integral to its national importance in that it allows the location and function of the Watch Tower to be easily understood, appreciated and experienced. 

Watch Towers were built by the Romans to monitor and control routeways, including strategic passes, glens, roads, and river crossings, as well as at strategic locations with wide views. They functioned by keeping watch, monitoring areas and rapidly transmitting messages. Watch Towers are often associated with adjacent roads. A small group of Roman soldiers would have occupied the Watch Tower. These troops would have been detached from the nearest fort or fortlet and would have been periodically rotated and replaced with fresh troops.

The Roman Watch Tower at Ewes Doors is one of approximately 37 known Roman Watch Towers in Scotland, 31 of which are scheduled. Ewes Doors is one of the better surviving examples of a Roman Watch Tower in Scotland.

Dr MacLeod Rivett makes it clear that from the earliest stage of the scoping consultation for the proposed development, HES have stated that there were significant concerns in relation to the potential impacts of the wind farm on the setting of Ewes Doors Watch Tower.

"The proposed development, of 45 wind turbines, 40 of 200m maximum blade tip height, and 5 of 179.5m blade tip height, together with associated infrastructure would be visible to the north, and west of the scheduled monument, as shown in the applicant's visualisations."

And she concludes: "The proposals would have a significant detrimental impact on the ability to experience, understand and appreciate the factors that contribute so greatly to the setting of the monument and the monument's cultural significance, and thus would have a significant adverse effect on the ability to understand, appreciate and experience the monument, which would not be adequately retained. 

"This effect would be caused by the turbines 6 and 7, and to a lesser degree by turbines 1, 3 and 4. The factors of setting that contribute to cultural significance would be changed such that the understanding, appreciation and experience of the scheduled monument would not be adequately retained. This would have an adverse effect on the integrity of its setting."

The report reveals that HES discussed the impacts of the proposals with the applicant. In a letter of December 2019 a redesign of the proposals was offered to mitigate what were recognised as ‘significant effects on the setting of Eweslees watch tower’. 

HES responded on 8 January 2020 that the redesign, which involved the moving of four turbines, 5, 6, 7 and 9, would be likely to reduce the impacts of the proposals on the setting of the scheduled monument. However, this scheme was not progressed, and the HES objection was not withdrawn.