ARCHAEOLOGISTS say the grounds of a Borders peel tower could be hiding some of the best preserved remains of what life was like in the early 1540s.
While the A-listed 16th century tower just outside Ettrickbridge has been extensively renovated by owner Peter Clarke since he moved in back in the 1990s, the structures that once existed around the tower have lain buried and undisturbed for centuries.
Built originally by the infamous Scotts of Harden, Kirkhope Tower was transformed from a virtual ruin by Mr Clarke and his late wife, Gillian.
An exciting early find during the revamp was a letter from a young soldier in the service of King Henry VIII.
Writing in 1547, the soldier explained he had “burned down the villainous tower of Kirkhopp” and that he had “killed all the Scottis, taken the kyn (cattle] and plenishings (furniture]”.
Archaeological News: Archaeologists hunt for a window on the 1540s at Kirkhope Tower excavation: