Bedrule Castle
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Bedrule Castle is a ruined 13th-century castle in the
Rule Rule or ruling may refer to: Human activity * The exercise of political or personal control by someone with authority or power * Business rule, a rule pertaining to the structure or behavior internal to a business * School rule, a rule th ...
Valley, in the
Scottish Borders The Scottish Borders is one of 32 council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by West Lothian, Edinburgh, Midlothian, and East Lothian to the north, the North Sea to the east, Dumfries and Galloway to the south-west, South Lanarkshire to the we ...
.Coventry, Martin (1997) ''The Castles of Scotland''. Goblinshead. p.160 The castle was built in the 13th century by the Comyn family. During the 1st Wars of Scottish Independence
Edward I of England Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots (Latin: Malleus Scotorum), was King of England from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he was Lord of Ireland, and from 1254 ...
(Longshanks) stayed one night in "Rule" on the 30th of September 1298. This was after the Battle of Falkirk and the follow-up actions of the English army during August 1298 in Ayrshire and Dumfriesshire. He had spent September resting and resupplying in friendly Carlisle and was on his way to besiege Jedburgh castle which surrendered on the 17th of October 1298. On the forfeiting of the Comyn lands in 1306, the castle passed to the
Douglas family Douglas may refer to: People * Douglas (given name) * Douglas (surname) Animals * Douglas (parrot), macaw that starred as the parrot ''Rosalinda'' in Pippi Longstocking * Douglas the camel, a camel in the Confederate Army in the American Civil ...
. The Douglases made the Turnbull family their tenants.


Bedrule and the Turnbulls at war

On 8 November 1511,
James IV of Scotland James IV (17 March 1473 – 9 September 1513) was List of Scottish monarchs, King of Scotland from 11 June 1488 until his death at the Battle of Flodden in 1513. He inherited the throne at the age of fifteen on the death of his father, James I ...
came to do justice in the Rule Valley. He captured several leading members of the Turnbull family and took them to Jedburgh. They submitted to the king with naked swords in their hands and withies about their neck. They were sent as prisoners to be warded in distant castles. In 1516, the Turnbulls joined Lord Home to rebel against Regent Albany. The young
James V James V (10 April 1512 – 14 December 1542) was List of Scottish monarchs, King of Scotland from 9 September 1513 until his death in 1542. He was crowned on 21 September 1513 at the age of seventeen months. James was the son of King James IV a ...
issued a remission or pardon in November 1516 which names several members of the Turnbull family. In July 1544, during the war now known as the
Rough Wooing The Rough Wooing (; December 1543 – March 1551), also known as the Eight Years' War, was part of the Anglo-Scottish Wars of the 16th century. Following the English Reformation, the break with the Catholic Church, England attacked Scotland ...
, Bedrule and 15 or 16 other steads or farms were burnt by Master Clefforth and English soldiers with men from
Tynedale __NOTOC__ Tynedale was a local government district in Northumberland, England. The district had a resident population of 58,808 according to the 2001 census. The main towns were Hexham, Haltwhistle and Prudhoe. The district contained part of ...
and
Redesdale Redesdale is a valley in western Northumberland, England. It is formed by the River Rede, which rises in the Cheviots and flows down to join the North Tyne at Redesmouth. Redesdale is traversed by the A68 trunk road, which enters Scotland ...
. The raiding party took 300 cattle and 600 sheep from the Rule valley and captured three field cannon called "basses" from the Laird of Ferniehirst. On 16 September 1545 Bedrule Castle was attacked by the English again. Lord Hertford reported that "I sent forth a good band to the number of 1500 light horsemen in the leading of me nd Sir Robert Bowes, with from 5 a.m. till 3 p.m., forayed along the waters of Tyvyote and Rowle, 6 or 7 miles beyond Jedburgh, and burnt 14 or 15 towns and a great quantity of all kinds of corn". This English incursion was a response to the Scottish victory at the
battle of Ancrum Moor The Battle of Ancrum Moor was fought during the War of the Rough Wooing in 1545. The Scottish victory put a temporary end to English incursions in the Scottish border and lowlands. The battlefield has been included in the Inventory of Histor ...
back in February 1545. After the
Rising of the North The Rising of the North of 1569, also called the Revolt of the Northern Earls, Northern Rebellion or the Rebellion of the Earls, was an unsuccessful attempt by Catholicism, Catholic nobles from Northern England to depose Queen Elizabeth I of En ...
in England, in January 1570 Catholic fugitives were welcomed by Thomas Turnbull at Bedrule, including Tristram Fenwyk, Robert Shafto, and Thomas Ogle. Bedrule, "a house of Sir Andrew Trumble", Andrew Turnbull, was burnt again by an English army commanded by the
Earl of Sussex Earl of Sussex is a title that has been created several times in the Peerages of England, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom. The early Earls of Arundel (up to 1243) were often also called Earls of Sussex. The fifth creation came in the Pee ...
on 19 April 1570, during the Marian Civil War. Lord Hunsdon wrote, "we burnt also Bedrowle, which was the first house that
Leonard Dacre Leonard Dacre (by 1533 – 12 August 1573) was an English nobleman, one of the promoters of the Northern Rebellion against Queen Elizabeth. Life He was the second son of William Dacre, 3rd Baron Dacre of Gilsland and brother of Thomas Dacre, 4 ...
s took for his succor, when he fled out of England".
Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was List of English monarchs, Queen of England and List of Irish monarchs, Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. She was the last and longest reigning monarch of the House of Tudo ...
and her ministers claimed that this invasion was not an intervention of behalf of the infant
James VI James may refer to: People * James (given name) * James (surname) * James (musician), aka Faruq Mahfuz Anam James, (born 1964), Bollywood musician * James, brother of Jesus * King James (disambiguation), various kings named James * Prince Ja ...
against
Mary, Queen of Scots Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was List of Scottish monarchs, Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567. The only surviving legit ...
, but only a raid to punish and capture English border outlaws and fugitives and those who received them. The Turnbulls themselves were supporters of Regent Lennox and his grandson James VI. On 29 August 1571 the Laird of Bedrule (Thomas Turnbull) and his son (William), with many other lairds, were declared forfeited for treason by the supporters of Mary, Queen of Scots. In February 1572 Thomas Turnbull signed a band at Jedburgh to join with other lairds to support James VI and keep order on the English border, and resist the king's enemies, especially
Thomas Kerr of Ferniehirst Thomas Kerr of Ferniehirst (died 31 March 1586) was a Scottish landowner, Roman Catholic and supporter of Mary, Queen of Scots. He and Jean Scott ended the feud between the Scott family and the Kerrs. Thomas and Jean were both involved with suppor ...
. The later historian
David Hume of Godscroft David Hume or Home of Godscroft (1558–1629) was a Scottish historian and political theorist, poet and controversialist, a major intellectual figure in Jacobean Scotland. It has been said that "Hume marks the culmination of the Scottish humani ...
describes how the Hume lairds met the
Earl of Morton The title Earl of Morton was created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1458 for James Douglas of Dalkeith. Along with it, the title Lord Aberdour was granted. This latter title is the courtesy title for the eldest son and heir to the Earl of Morton. ...
at
Leith Leith (; ) is a port area in the north of Edinburgh, Scotland, founded at the mouth of the Water of Leith and is home to the Port of Leith. The earliest surviving historical references are in the royal charter authorising the construction of ...
, and were reluctant to sign a band to join with the lawless and notorious Turnbulls of Bedrule. Soon after, the Turnbulls ransacked the house of Robert Ker of Woodhead at
Ancrum Ancrum () is a village in the Borders area of Scotland, northwest of Jedburgh. The village — which currently has a population of around 300 — is situated just off the A68 trunk road on the B6400, which runs through Ancrum. Lilliesleaf ...
and carried off his household goods, clothes, and farmstock. In November 1572 Thomas Turnbull attended the convention at Edinburgh when the Earl of Morton was elected as Regent. Andrew Turnbull of Bedrule was involved in the
Raid of the Redeswire The Raid of the Redeswire, also known as the Redeswire Fray, was a border skirmish between England and Scotland on 7 July 1575 which took place at Carter Bar, the Cheviot pass which enters Redesdale. The skirmish was between (on the English si ...
in 1575, and Hunsdon requested he be sent into England as a pledge or hostage for the English prisoners held by
Regent Morton James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton (c. 1516 – 2 June 1581) was a Scottish nobleman. He played a leading role in the murders of Queen Mary's confidant, David Rizzio, and king consort Henry Darnley. He was the last of the four regents of Scot ...
at
Dalkeith Palace Dalkeith Palace is a country house in Dalkeith, Midlothian, Scotland. It was the seat of the Duke of Buccleuch, Dukes of Buccleuch from 1642 until 1914, and is owned by the Buccleuch Living Heritage Trust. The present palace was built 1701–1711 ...
. During the struggle at Redeswire, his companion, Robert Shafto, an English follower of the rebel
Earl of Northumberland The title of Earl of Northumberland has been created several times in the Peerage of England and of Great Britain, succeeding the title Earl of Northumbria. Its most famous holders are the House of Percy (''alias'' Perci), who were the most po ...
, was shot dead. For a time the Turnbull family lost Bedrule. In May 1594 Harry Home of Coldenknowes sold the Castle and its lands back to Walter Turnbull and his son William Turnbull.


Archaeology

Today, the site of Bedrule castle has been reduced to a series of grassy mounds with protruding stones. Bedrule Castle was built atop a partially artificial mound, which provided it an advantageous defensive position with a sweeping view of the surrounding countryside.
Rule Water The Rule Water is a river in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, and a tributary of the River Teviot. The Rule Water rises in Wauchope Forest and passes Hobkirk, Bonchester Bridge, Hallrule, Abbotrule, and Bedrule until it joins the River T ...
runs along the western side of the bluff that the Castle was built on, and the parish church is located 200 yards southeast of the site of Bedrule Castle. The entrance to Bedrule Castle was located on the northwest side of the site, and the entrance seems to have been protected by two towered gatehouses. When the castle was built in the 13th century by the Comyn family, it was likely surrounded by an oval-shaped curtain wall, which would have also contained houses and smaller enclosures. The curtain wall would have measured 200 meet from northeast to southeast, and 130 feet across transversely. On the southeast end of the Castle there would have been a circular tower, as well as two intermediate circular towers to the Castle's west and southwest. These towers would have made up the Castle's defense system. It is likely that there would have been two more towers on the northeastern half of the Castle corresponding to the western and southwestern towers, but they have not survived to present day. Today, the site is unequally divided in two by a wall running northeast from the circular tower in the southwest part of the site. The castle's enclosure is incomplete, cultivation northeast of the wall has destroyed remains of the castle in that portion. Excavations of the site were undertaken in 2021 and 2022, and geophysical surveys were undertaken in 2022. The excavations were undertaken to improve understanding of the English raid that took place in 1545 following the defeat at the Battle of Ancrum and its aftermath. Historical records indicate that at least four dozen towers and castles in Rule Valley were destroyed in this raid, and Bedrule Castle was the largest of these buildings to be attacked. Bedrule Castle may not have been destroyed completely during the attack, but excavations indicate that the castle had been abandoned for good in the 16th century.


Geophysical surveys

In October 2022 Rose Geophysics carried out a geophysical survey consisting of
gradiometer A gradiometer measures the gradient (numerical rate of change) of a physical quantity, such as a magnetic field or gravity. Types of gradiometer There are at least two types of gradiometer to measure magnetic fields: # ''Axial gradiometer''. ...
and resistance surveys at the site of Bedrule Castle and in the adjacent field. Both survey methods detected a well-defined curvilinear feature. The location and shape of the feature are consistent with the eastern portion of Castle's enclosure earthwork, but there is no clear indication of the potential/predicted northeastern tower. A second larger, more ephemeral curving feature was also detected, and it appears to enclose the main castle earthwork. This feature may be continuation of the earthwork feature visible to the west of the wall dividing the site, but it is uncertain whether this feature was contemporary to castle or predated it. In the area west of the wall that bisects the site several well defined rectangular features were detected. It is believed that these features are the remains of the Castle's
keep A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word ''keep'', but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residen ...
. A series of magnetic and resistance anomalies detected in northern part of the survey area suggest the possible presence of structural remains or walled enclosures that were later added to the larger outer enclosure wall. In the southern half of the eastern field a higher level of background resistance was observed. Within this area of higher resistance, there were several areas with well defined areas of high resistance, though the source of this resistance is unclear. It is possible that this resistance is a result of rubble spreads or structural remains, but it is uncertain if these would have been contemporary to the Castle or part of an earlier earthwork. In the southern part of the survey area a series of linear trends were detected, possibly indicating the presence of drainage features or trackways. The period that these features date to is unknown.


Excavation

Two seasons of excavations have occurred at Bedrule Castle, one in November 2021 and one taking place from September to October 2022. These excavations were undertaken as part of the Twelve Towers of Rule project, which has been ongoing since 2020 through Archaeology Scotland's Adopt-a-Monument scheme. Excavation was undertaken in partnership with the campaign for the Scottish Borders National Park. Excavations were carried out by teams of volunteers, students, and local young people. The archaeological investigations of Bedrule Castle were undertaken A total of five trenches have been excavated at site of the Castle. Further excavation has been planned for the 2024 dig season, which will take place from August to September 2024.


Trench 1

Trench 1 measures 1x6.5 metres and is positioned along the curvilinear bank that runs from the southeast to the northwest. Excavations in Trench 1 revealed a series of linear arrangements of stones in the northeast and northwest, which are possibly the remains of tumbled walls. Due to time constraints, no conclusive evidence confirming the nature of the feature was found, and the trench was not excavated to natural
subsoil Subsoil is the layer of soil under the topsoil on the surface of the ground. Like topsoil, it is composed of a variable mixture of small particles such as sand, silt and clay, but with a much lower percentage of organic matter and humus. The su ...
or bedrock.


Trench 2

Trench 2 was excavated in 2021 and focused on the southwest corner of a square shaped earthwork feature, which archaeologist generally interpret as being the remains of the Castle's keep. In 2022 the excavation of Trench 2 continued and the trench was extended 2 metres to the northwest, resulting in a trench measuring 4x2 metres. The topsoil was removed and an area of stone with a mix of tumbled material. Additionally, the remains of two unmortared masonry walls were revealed. These walls were each about two metres thick and made up the southwest corner of the Castle. There is evidence of stone robbing, and many of the cut stones from the Castle, such as facing stones from walls, flagstones from the floors, or
lintels A lintel or lintol is a type of beam (a horizontal structural element) that spans openings such as portals, doors, windows and fireplaces. It can be a decorative architectural element, or a combined ornamented/structural item. In the case of ...
from doors and windows were reused in the nearby church and manse, as well as some dykes in the surrounding area. Soil deposits within the structure suggest that the destruction of at least one part of the Castle was followed by a period of abandonment. This period of abandonment would have allowed the buildup of soils prior to the collapse of the walls.


Trench 3

Trench 3 measured 3x2 metres and ran northwest to southeast across a raised earthwork feature. Trench 3 ran northwest to southeast, across a raised earthwork feature with some exposed stones on its surface. Due to time constraints, the trench was not excavated down to natural subsoil. Nevertheless, excavation allowed the features to be revealed and recorded. A series of rubble layers were revealed, as well as a linear arrangement of irregular stones, the latter of which may be the remains of a partially collapsed wall. The excavation of the rubble layers revealed evidence that the tumbled stone had been disturbed after the castle had been destroyed or fallen out of use. These disturbances were most likely the result of locals scavenging for cut stone to reuse in other structures.


Trench 4

Trench 4 measured 2x4 metres and ran across the space between two small banks on the northeastern corner of the Castle. Trench 4 was not fully excavated, but it did reveal archeological features which were recorded. A rough cobbled surface overlaid by a layer of gravel clay was uncovered, which may be the remains of the entryway into a large tower. Additionally, several sherds of post-medieval pottery were found.


Trench 5

Trench 5 measured 5.5x1 metres and ran across the southern wall of another square shaped feature located within the curtain walls. The stonework was found to be part of a 1.8 metre thick wall, which has been interpreted as being part of the early fourteenth century phase of the Castle. Further excavation of the exterior of the wall revealed large facing stones. It was found that these facing stones were the remains of the initial phase of the wall and likely dated from the mid to late thirteenth century.


References


External links


Bedrule Castle: Towers of Rule
* https://www.scottishbordersnationalpark.com/12-towers-of-rule/ * https://www.archaeologyscotland.org.uk/adopt-a-monument/ {{Authority control Castles in the Scottish Borders Castles and forts of the Rough Wooing