Group 19: Ayrshire

The Cosmographer makes a complete break after *Fanococidii, Bewcastle, and some of the names in this group are probably also to be found in Ptolemy: <Brocara> may be for Ουινδογαρα (II.3,7; Rivet & Smith 1979, 501), which is probably in the vicinity of Irvine, and <Clindum> has been identified with Λινδον (Rivet & Smith 1979, 393). <Stodoion, smetriadum> has been connected with Πτερωτον στρατοπεδον (II.3,8) by Rivet and Smith (1979, 440); this last equation is frankly incredible, as Rivet and Smith (1979, 201) are themselves at pains to point out that the Cosmographer had no Greek sources. Although the first name cannot be emended with any certainty, an emendation of <Smetriadum> to *Smertiacum is easy; as the list appears to begin at Irvine (Strang 1997), it may be that these names are to be sought in the Irvine and Clyde valleys. *Croucinco would suit a hilly site, so an identification with Loudoun Hill is not out of the question. Castledykes and Easter Happrew could be <Stodoium> (for which no emendation can be suggested) and *Smertiacum respectively. <Clindum> has been identified by Rivet and Smith (1979, 393) with the fort at Drumquhassle, which they take to be the Lindon of Ptolemy, although they admit that it is hard to see how the misspelling occurred in the Cosmography. Moreover, it is difficult to see why the Cosmographer should have listed it at this point, and it may be a site farther east in the Tweed valley, towards Newstead, perhaps near the marching camp at Innerleithen. The correct form is nevertheless likely to have been *Lindum.