Archaeologists from the University of Glasgow have begun looking for traces of a bishop's palace in a Scottish Borders village. The field of Mantle Walls, near Ancrum, has long been suspected to have been the site of a major medieval building. Scottish Borders Council commissioned the works to fully assess the area.

Archaeology officer Dr Chris Bowles described it as an "extraordinary site" and hoped the latest evaluation could underline its importance. Local traditions dating back to at least the 18th Century suggest that the then ruined building was either a stronghold of the crusading Knights of Malta or a bishop's palace.