Bedrule Castle, Scotland

HARP, in association with Archaeology Scotland, will be running a two-week excavation field school from Saturday 8th to Thursday 20th August at the site of Bedrule Castle in the Scottish Borders. This field school is intended for those who have no prior experience with archaeological excavations, as full training will be provided, but we also gladly welcome those who have previous archaeological experience and are looking to increase their skill set and broaden their excavation experience. Working in partnership with Archaeology Scotland, the field school will also provide an introduction to community heritage and archaeology, and how to work with local communities to research, excavate and understand their local heritage, with the excavation continuing on from Archaeology Scotland’s Towers of Rule project that has been running in the region for the past several years.

Bedrule Castle, once a stronghold of the Comyns, and later the Turnbulls, was a pivotal site in the Rule Valley, likely dating back to the 12th century. Potentially slighted in the 16th century by the Earl of Hertford during the Rough Wooing, Bedrule Castle was witness to turbulent times during the Anglo-Scottish wars. Whilst no above ground architecture remains, the undulating landscape and hints of some upstanding masonry below the surface have suggested substantial sub-surface remains. Previous work including geophysics and trial excavation, have revealed a significant site with substantial architectural remains. The most recent excavations revealed large masonry walls and evidence of late medieval use of the site; some of the stonework revealed the re-use of carved masonry, potentially removed from an older building (perhaps an earlier iteration of the castle or an early church).

This excavation field school intends to expose the interior of a large building believed to have been either a tower as part of the medieval castle complex, or a later medieval manor house, and will provide students with a hands-on experience of working on an archaeological excavation. All participants will learn how to excavate to a professional archaeological standard, as well as how to record the remains by completing context sheets, technical drawing, photography and surveying. Students will also have the opportunity to work with various artefact material types uncovered during the excavations such as pottery, glass and animal bone during post-excavation. Workshops on a variety of post excavation techniques including finds photography and environmental processing will also be provided.