The theme for this year's commemorative glass has finally been decided! The Antonine Wall World Heritage Bid.

Antonine Wall

Officially announced earlier in the year, the bid to have the Antonine Wall recognised as a World Heritage Site is well underway.

World Heritage Site

The importance and impact on Bo'ness that having the Antonine Wall designated as a world heritage site would have cannot be underestimated.

Although there is some disagreement it is generally accepted that Bo'ness sits at the beginning of the Antonine Wall and not at the end. It has been suggested that the Romans may have started in the centre and worked out to the coasts, but that cannot be proved either, so as far a BRAAS is concerned Bo'ness sits at the start and not the end.

And only last week there was a visit by an evaluator from the World Heritage Organisation carrying out an evaluation of the bid. The decision should be known early next year.

The Bridgeness Slab

Bo'ness is unique in that in 1868 a large carved stone, now called the Bridgeness Stone or Slab, was found just 15 yards from what is now Harbour Road which runs up passed Kinnegars Park from Grangepans.

The Bridgeness Slab is regarded as on of the most significant and important finds dating from Roman times that it features as the main exhibit in the National Museums of Scotland's Roman display. It is 9ft+ x 3ft in size and carved out of sandstone.

Even before the World Heritage Bid was made there was a move by local activists to have, unfortunately not the original, a replica of the stone returned to form part of a visitor attraction which has been proposed for Harbour Road.

It has the support of the NMS (National Museum), Historic Scotland and Falkirk Council and every likelyhood that it would attract Heritage Lottery funding.

Life Size Replica

The life-size replica would be made using a 3-D imaging technique, developed at Liverpool University, and cut into a solid sandstone block using CNC machining technology giving an almost exact copy of the existing artifact.

Although not shown in the image above the original stone would have been painted in some bright combination of colours and it is hoped that, if not the replica itself, the colouring can be illustrated.

Heritage trail through central Scotland

It is hoped that it would form part of a heritage trail that would following the line of the Antonine Wall through Kinniel Estate and the Roman Fortlet, on to Falkirk and end at the western end of the wall al Old Kirkpatrick.