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The Portlethen Moss is an acidic bog nature reserve located to the west of the town of Portlethen, Aberdeenshire in Scotland. Like other mosses, this wetland area supports a variety of plant and animal species, even though it has been subject to certain development and agricultural degradation pressures. For example, the Great Crested Newt was found here prior to the expansion of the town of Portlethen. Many acid loving vegetative species occur in Portlethen Moss, and the habitat is monitored by the Scottish Wildlife Trust. Portlethen Moss is the location of considerable prehistoric, Middle Ages and seventeenth century history, largely due to a ridge near the bog which was the route of early travellers. By at least the Middle Ages this trackway was more formally constructed with raised stonework and called the Causey Mounth. Without this drovers' road, travel through the Portlethen Moss and several nearby bogs would have been impossible between Aberdeen and coastal points to the south. ==History== Prehistoric man inhabited the Portlethen Moss area as evidenced by well preserved Iron Age stone circles and other excavated artifacts nearby.〔Duffy, A 1998 'Charcoal samples', in Rees, T 'Excavation of Cairnwell Ring-Cairn, Portlethen', Proc Soc Antiq Scot, 127, 255-280〕 Obviously only the outcrops and ridge areas would have been habitable, but the desirability of primitive habitation would have been enhanced by proximity to the sea and natural defensive protection of the moss to impede intruders. From Tacitus accounts〔Tacitus, ''Accounts of Agricola in Caledonia'', ca 42AD〕 of the Roman general Agricola, it is known that the Romans were daunted by Portlethen Moss, Netherley Red Moss, Cookney Moss and other local bogs that hindered travel. This is also evidenced by the Roman Camp of Raedykes having been established immediately south of this cluster of mosses; the Romans not being able to progress further north, turned inland toward Netherley.The Portlethen Moss is near the Grampian Mountains. The ancient Causey Mounth passage specifically connected the Bridge of Dee to the town of Stonehaven. This route was used to access the historic meeting of the Covenanters at Muchalls Castle in the year 1638 AD as they opposed the Bishops of Aberdeen. The route was also that taken by the William Keith, 7th Earl Marischal and James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose when they led a Covenanter army of 9000 men in the biggest battle of the Bishops' Wars in 1639〔Archibald Watt, ''Highways and Biways around Kincardineshire'', Stonehaven Heritage Society (1985)〕 Further to the east of Portlethen Moss lie three original coastal fishing villages: Findon, Portlethen Village and Downies. In the period 1960 to 2005, Portlethen has developed as a dormitory town to Aberdeen and a location for retail superstores. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Portlethen Moss」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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