Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland

So many hidden gems are revealed by archaeological work carried out in advance of industrial or domestic developments. There was nothing on the surface of this field on the edge of Lockerbie to reveal its presence, but once the turf and topsoil was stripped away what should turn up but the foundation trench of a large rectangular timber hall. The discovery is exciting, because buildings like this have been excavated at places like Yeavering in Northumberland, and we know that these were important centres of the early medieval kingdom of Northumbria. As yet, the Lockerbie discovery is undated, but at first sight it provides a further strand of evidence for the expansion of Northumbria into Galloway in the 7th century, which is otherwise only represented in the countryside by spectacular Christian crosses, such as that at Ruthwell.