Chris's Blog

Ancrum's future lies in its past. Since 2012, Ancrum has been on a journey of rediscovering this past and learning that the village was central to events that shaped Scotland in the medieval period. It's no wonder. It's close, but not too close, to the contested border with England. It sits on major route-ways between the two countries. As we now know, it sits at a major and strategic river crossing. It sits at the confluence of rivers, with the hill country of the Forest and Roxburghshire to the west, and the Merse to the east. And its overlooked by a number of prehistoric, and likely early medieval, settlements suggesting a deep history in the valley we can only now guess at. So it's not surprising that, in the 11th and 12th century, as monastic communities were imported from the Continent and as Scotland was fusing with a southern heartland, Ancrum was chosen as a critical node in a complex chain of mottes, monasteries, estates, royal and ecclesiastical settlements and landholdings. Ancrum was literally at the centre of it all. This is why the Bishops of Glasgow chose Ancrum as the site of a palace, and, I would argue, why many of the early bishops were Borderers. Ancrum's palace was a statement of extreme power, and those who resided in it temporarily, or in some instances often, were extensions of both liturgical infallibility and the patronage of royal authority. These men were, after all, the emissaries of the Popes and, ultimately, God and Christ. So just as the Border Abbeys were visible as communities of brethren and sisters linked to the higher ideals of charity and service to God, Ancrum's Palace was a visible symbol of God's dominion over all. This is no small thing!

So why do I bring all of this up? Because the palace is only scratching the surface of Ancrum's importance. I feel that the bishops chose Ancrum because it was already important. I was never able to put my finger on why. It may be that Ancrum Castle holds the answers. This site is so unusual in the context of fortified settlements in southern Scotland. It almost certainly began life as a prehistoric fort, I imagine it has a strong early medieval presence as well (possibly as a caput, or chief place, within an early kingdom), but it's the sort of shockwave pattern of ramparts extending to the east from the summit enclosure that has always had me scratching my head. Are these early medieval? If so, I can think of no parallels (apart from the shape of the amphitheatre at Yeavering). Are they medieval? Again, no parallels that I know of...but then most of the castles or towers that occupy earlier settlements have largely destroyed older phases of fortification. I just don't know. Ever since I've heard about the associated place-name of Kinning Brae, I've had a suspicion that this is from the Anglo-Saxon 'cyning' meaning King. Was this a royal centre associated with the movements of the Northumbrian kings? If so, it exists on a line extending from Berwick, so it would not be unusual for a site like this to be closely associated with an early medieval church or chapel, and the site of Ancrum Kirk fits the bill in landscape terms. Certainly, the 12th or 13th century hogback stone points to a much deeper history for this site as well.

And then there's what happened to Ancrum after the hey-day of the bishops and their not insignificant entourages. What happened to the palace? Was it abandoned? How did the two villages of Over and Nether Ancrum grow around it? And what was the association with the Battle of Ancrum Moor in 1545? Now that the ADHS has proven definitively that there was a significant bridge across the Teviot, this begs the question about the association with the battle landscape? Were the English heading for the bridge? Did the Scottish choose a site near Ancrum to bottleneck them and pick them off? Have our two 16th century helmets found at Mantle Walls and the Witches Cleugh nearby been pointing to the location of the battlefield all along - not on Lilliard's Edge, but perhaps on Trowpenny Hill?

All of the above remains to be done. I can see the future of the ADHS being all about continuing to prove the incredible importance of this unassuming village to the history of two nations. I only wish I were still in the country to see it. Rediscovering this incredible story is only part of the benefits that Ancrum will see. I know the ADHS are looking to interpret and promote. It was amazing to me the level of outside press interest in the discovery of the palace back in 2012, and again in 2019. This interest can translate into real economic development for the village and the region. The potential opens up for sponsorships (Chesters? Harestanes?), tours and even visitor experiences. I've seen it happen for places with less than Ancrum has. But more importantly, these discoveries can hopefully add to the deep connections people in the village and the wider area have with the place. It's too easy to see these archaeological discoveries as just interesting and academic - removed from your everyday life. Although they were forgotten, now they're a crucial part of your own stories, your identities. And not just the sites themselves, but the amazing way you all banded together to experience their uncovering. I hope the friendships formed through the last 8 years endure, and that this is passed on to the next generation.

I spent 13 years in higher education 'learning' archaeology, and a further 3 in the field 'doing' archaeology. I had 3 years at SBC regulating archaeology, and that's when I first visited the Mantle Walls with Alistair Munro. Within 30 minutes of seeing freshly ploughed pot sherds, seeing substantial blocks of masonry in the field margin and just getting a sense of the incredible location in the landscape, I knew Ancrum had an amazing site and story to tell. It was Ancrum that taught me what archaeology actually was and could be for communities. I've carried Ancrum's lesson with me back to my home state of Colorado, and into the work I'm doing here to help community heritage deliver real benefits for people. The rich heritage of Ancrum places it, I believe, on par with Berwick, Linlithgow, Glasgow and Edinburgh. If archaeology were oil, I'd sink a well in Ancrum. But then I don't want to give Alistair and his diggers any ideas! It was my privilege and honour to work closely with all of you, and I'm incredibly proud of the work you've done!

Dr Chris Bowles

Director of Preservation Incentives Programs/Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer

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