NT 803378 A Roman temporary camp at Carham. Only a length of some 500 feet of the west side, including a gate with a tutulus, is known so far. (1)(2)

The site falls in an arable field (now under plough) at the south-west end of the ridge. There are no apparent surface indications of this camp, and it is not visible on available aerial photographs. (RAF 1945). (3)

Two parts of two possible sides of a camp are visible on aerial photographs (CUCAP ADZ41-4). There is an entrance gap and external traverse. The cropmarks of this side measure c.220m long and are of poor quality. A cropmark orientated north east/south west through the traverse is interpreted as a modern drain. Another cropmark of a straight ditch lies south east of Dunstan plantation and measures c.100m long. It is interpreted as the possible north west side of a camp.
Although the strategic location and topography support the interpretation of these cropmarks as a camp caution should be exercised as it is said that the Scottish army camped in the vicinity in 1296. Similar ditches may have been dug or old ones reused. (4)

This camp has been re-assessed in connection with RCHME's survey and publication of Roman Camps in England. The following descriptive account is taken from the published text.
Cropmarks noted in 1961 less than 600 m to the S of Carham appear to show portions of two possible sides of a camp with an entrance gap and external traverse (CUCAP ADZ 41-4 (5b)). They lie between about 60 m and 70 m above OD at the W end of a ridge which provides good views over Tweeddale.
The cropmarks of the SW ditch of this possible camp are approximately 220 m long but are broken for about 24 m by a causeway for a gate; a possible traverse, roughly 20 m in length, is set about 18 m to the SW of it. The cropmarks are not of good quality, and there is a mark similar to the suggested traverse only 15 m to the SE. A cropmark extending from the presumed traverse north-eastwards probably represents a modern drain. The cropmark of another straight ditch line, approximately 100 m long, has been recorded close to the SE side of Dunstan Plantation (CUCAP ADZ 43 (see auth 5a)). Lying at right angles to the ditch described, this could be a fragment of the NW side of a camp; this receives some support from the topography, for the slope of the ground is more pronounced immediately to its N. Elsewhere the terrain falls away quite gently in all directions except the E, where it rises slightly towards the summit of the ridge some 400 m E of the probable SW ditch.
The strategic location and the local topography of the cropmarks tend to favour their classification as a camp. However, particular caution is necessary in the interpretation of the evidence in this case, as the Scottish army is said to have camped hereabouts in 1296; it might conceivably have dug similar ditches, or may have deliberately reused earlier defences. Full information is included in the NMR Archive. (5)