Destroyed by Henry VIII, a Borders castle is bringing hope for a better future

Built by deadly rivals of Robert the Bruce, the powerful Comyn family, it met a brutal end on a single day of destruction in September 1545 when a 15,000 strong English force obliterated it and more than a dozen other strongholds and settlements across Rule Valley.

With nothing left to see, few locals might be able to pinpoint the grassy mound as the site of one of the most brutal episodes in Scottish history.

In recent weeks, however, archaeologists - aided by adult volunteers and dozens of young people from Borders schools and work projects - have peeled off its layers of turf, dusted away hard packed soil and been rewarded with a tiny glimpse into times when the Scottish Borders was at heart of the fight for control of Scotland.

The second round of excavations at the site by Archaeology Scotland has uncovered further evidence of its long since crumpled walls, helping to build up a picture of the castle and its demise during the brutal 16th century ‘Rough Wooing’ raids by the Earl of Hertford, carried out on the orders of King Henry VIII.

It follows a similar dig at the castle site last Autumn, when the expert and amateur archaeologists unearthed what’s thought to be the remains of a spiral staircase, and fragments of post-medieval pottery.

Yet while the excavations have offered a fascinating glimpse into long gone bloody events across the Rule Valley, they are also playing an important role in honing the future lives of hundreds of local children and young jobless people.

Backed by almost £82,500 from the UK Government’s 'levelling up' Community Renewal Fund, Archaeology Scotland staff have been joined at the site by young people from local works skills projects – many from disadvantaged and challenged backgrounds – who have helped examine the castle stones, track the dig’s findings and learn how the site is giving up its secrets.

Project Officer Kieran Manchip, of Archaeology Scotland, said: “A few knew about the Borders Reivers and some had heard that there were towers which had been destroyed, but hardly any knew of Bedrule Castle.

“This project has been a chance to put them in touch with their own local heritage and given them transferable skills that can be useful in the workplace, such as maths, English, time management and IT skills.

“They work in teams and it builds confidence, improves their physical health and helps with mental health.”

Since excavations began at Bedrule Castle, which was the largest of the towers and castles destroyed during the 1545 raid, around 300 local primary and secondary school pupils and unemployed 16- to 24-year-olds have joined in.

At the latest dig, they were able to see newly uncovered areas of burnt and charred clay thought to be related to the fierce raids – the first evidence at the site which links back to the notorious episode.

He added: “It captures their imagination. The young people involved love it, especially those that may have struggled in a typical classroom environment.

“They are able to do something with their hands, and an archaeological dig at a castle is something they never thought they’d get the chance to do.

“They usually think archaeology is just digging up old stuff, but we show them there is a process behind it: there is surveying and looking at historical maps.

“It broadens their horizons, is excellent for them learning about their local history and Scotland’s history, and hopefully encourages this next generation to take care of these sites.”

Tom Pride of Works+, which helps young unemployed people who have often struggled at school, left with few qualifications or experienced difficulties finding work, said the experience left a positive impact on participants.

“They really loved it and were excited to be involved,” he said.

“When the castle was sacked in the 1500s, it had been thought that everything was removed. So, for the dig to have uncovered a part of a wall and to start to unravel the footprint of the castle is really exciting for them.

“Many of the young people we work with come from disadvantaged or socially excluded backgrounds. “Doing this means they also learning those core skills they need for employment such as teamwork and communication. It’s good for their CV and it’s something to tell a future employer.”

Among the young people from Works+ taking part in last week’s dig was Ellen Levenie, 18, of Gala. She said: “I used to like history at school but we weren’t taught anything about Bedrule Castle, so I didn’t know anything about it.

“Having been there I feel I’d like to find out even more.

“It was hard work and my hands hurt from the digging, but it was interesting to see where the castle was and get a rough idea of what happened there.”

Bedrule Castle was originally built by the Comyn family in the 12th century and visited by King Edward 1 of England in 1298 – an indication of its strategic importance and its role in the Anglo Scottish wars.

When Robert the Bruce murdered John Comyn in Dumfries in 1306, it was given to Sir James Douglas and thought to have been partially destroyed in an effort to ensure it could not be garrisoned by English forces.

It was later rebuilt and it’s hoped the excavation might reveal whether the reconstruction followed its original design of oval shaped wall surrounding a collection of houses and other buildings.

By the 15th century the castle was occupied by notorious Border Reiver clan, the Turnbulls. Several are thought to have been hung at the castle by James IV.

Its bloodiest day, however, was on 16 Septmeber, 1545, when English forces rampaged sites along the Rule Valley, near Hawick.

It was the height of the ‘rough wooing’, when England was striving to weaken the Auld Alliance between Scotland and France, and was a revenge attack ordered by Henry VIII after his forces suffered defeat at Ancrum Moor near Jedburgh.

The dig is a wider project, the Twelve Towers of Rule, which is backed by local history groups and aims to raise awareness of the 1545 raids and includes a vision to create cycling and tourism trails. It links to efforts to create a Scottish Borders National Park.

Phil Richardson, of Archaeology Scotland, said 187 young people took part in the most recent excavations, with further work at the site and at nearby Bonchester Town Head also planned.

"There are very few artefacts at Bedrule probably because people took them away. But we are finding evidence that the castle was destroyed at least twice.

"By spending time in this place we can start to make sense of what happened there."

UK Government Minister for Scotland Malcolm Offord said: “The Scottish Borders have a fascinating history, and it’s great that this project is helping young people uncover the secrets of their local area while teaching them the skills and confidence to help build a brighter future.

“Backed by more than £80,000 in UK Government funding, this project is one of many across Scotland benefitting from our £2 billion direct investment in levelling up communities.”