IT’S been dubbed one of Britain’s best Roman relics.
It’s featured on a Royal mail stamp.
And it inspired an amazing replica – which takes pride of place in Bo’ness.
Now the Bridgeness Slab is being celebrated during the area’s Big Roman Week festival, which kicks off later this month.
A film about the famous Roman slab – or tablet – is being shown in the town’s library. Also scheduled is a talk about the rich colours used to paint the Bridgeness sculpture, and other installations along the Antonine Wall.
There will also be a weekend walk to the Bridgeness Slab and other Roman sites around Bo’ness.
Other events are also planned.
Madelene Hunt, the chair of Bo’ness Community Council, says: “The Bridgeness Distance Slab or Tablet is one of the finest artefacts found along the Antonine Wall, the Empire’s Scottish frontier.
“Ten years ago this week, on September 7, 2012, we unveiled an impressive replica, close to where the original sculpture was found in Bo’ness.
“It’s seems an appropriate time to look back on the project and also reflect on what’s happened during the past decade. For instance, the Bo’ness replica has now inspired other Roman sculptures right along the Antonine Wall.
“We’ve also seen the Royal Mail celebrate the Bridgeness Slab in 2020.
“And, in In recent months, we’ve seen a new display board installed on the Bo’ness foreshore, tempting walkers on the John Muir Way to explore our Roman sites.”
The Community Council worked with Falkirk Council, Falkirk Environment Trust and partners to install the £70,000 replica off Harbour Road. The site also includes information panels about the Antonine Wall and the surrounding area.
“Whilst the Romans used fairly basic implements to carve out the original Bridgeness Slab, the replica was using hi-tech tools,” said Mrs Hunt.
“The original was scanned using lasers and then a new slab cut in sandstone using computer-controlled milling equipment. The final piece was hand-finished by craftsmen.
“The final result was an extremely accurate copy of the Bridgeness Slab – revealing details not easily seen on the Roman original.”
The slab has a central panel in Latin, marking the completion of part of the Wall and honouring the Emperor Antoninus Pius. It also features a Roman calvaryman attacking local tribes – and Romans (in togas) getting ready to make a sacrifice to the gods.
Madelene added: “When the original slab was found in Bo’ness in the 1860s, it was quickly given to a museum in Edinburgh,” she said. “It’s now on show in the National Museum of Scotland in Chambers Street.
“For some people in the town, it’s a bit like the Elgin Marbles. We would love to have the original Roman slab back. Sadly, that won’t be happening. Therefore an exact replica was the next best thing. And this is a wonderful piece to look at.”
** The film about the Bridgeness Slab, “The Mark of Rome”, is being shown in Bo’ness Library on Wednesday, September 21, at 2.30 p.m. The library will also host a talk on the sculpture on Thursday, September 22, at 7.30 p.m. The Roman walk will leave outside Kinneil Museum on Sunday, September 25, at 1.30 p.m. No need to book, just turn up.
The free events will be part of the Big Roman festival.
A full programme will be available soon. For full details, follow @BigRomanWeek on Twitter or visit https://bigromanweek.wordpress.com
Details will also be available from libraries in Falkirk district.
VISIT THE BRIDGENESS SLAB
The Bridgeness Slab replica is off Harbour Road, Bo’ness. The postcode is EH51 9LF.
Since the sculpture was unveiled in 2012, other replica distance stones have been unveiled along the line of the Antonine Wall. These are at:
- Nethercroy, near Auchinstarry Marina, by Kilsyth
- Beside the Healthy Living and Enterprise Centre at Twechar
- Lambhill Stables, Glasgow
- By the Forth and Clyde Canal at Old Kilpatrick
A modern distance stone has also been unveiled at Cow Wynd, Falkirk.
For full directions to the sculptures – see https://bit.ly/aw-replicas
STAMP OF APPROVAL
The Bridgeness Slab was featured in a series entitled Roman Britain, issued by the Royal Mail in 2020. More here: https://bit.ly/3QhuBX8
ABOUT THE ANTONINE WALL
The Antonine Wall was built around 142 AD on the orders Emperor Antoninus Pius. It survived as the north-west frontier of the Roman empire for a generation before being abandoned in the 160s in favour of a return to Hadrian’s Wall. The Wall stretched for nearly 60 km (40 Roman miles) across the narrow waist of Scotland from Bo’ness on the River Forth to Old Kilpatrick on the River Clyde. It consisted of a turf rampart, perhaps three to four metres high, fronted by a great ditch.
Find out more at https://www.antoninewall.org
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