Dig Diaries – Bedrule Castle

This summer, members of the YAC have been joining excavations across the UK as part of our annual Dig It! competition. A team of archaeologists from Archaeology Scotland conducted an excavation to find Bedrule’s Lost Castle in the Scottish Borders this September, and they invited the YAC along.

Here we find out all about one of the winner’s Dig It! day.

Clara Ross, from Aberdeen YAC, shared that: 

Bedrule Castle was a lump on the edge of a field and I was super excited to get there. The weather was really moody and made us feel we were going to have a special day and after lunch the fog had burnt back and it was very warm.

Up until lunchtime, we had been working in a trench alongside some large wall stones. We found a few pieces of flint and charcoal but mostly shards of sandstone. However, in the last hour of the afternoon, I moved my trowel and found a curved edge. Mum and I carefully moved the soil away and tapped on it gently, I thought it was bone! Calipso and Andy came to look and Andy was very serious as I excavated it further unearthing a ball joint.

We carefully lifted a larger stone from its end to see its full length and Andy relaxed. It wasn’t long enough to be human! I was a bit disappointed but Andy wasn’t, the dig could continue. Lots of people watched me excavate the bone and it felt very exciting. My dad and sister came to the dig to see the bone before we left and they were so surprised by how big it was.

I had an amazing day at Bedrule Castle and feel privileged to have had the opportunity to take part. I can’t wait to do it all again!