Uncovering stories behind Medieval skeletons found at castle
A film featuring Medieval skeletons examined by a University of Bradford expert has been released.
Dr Jo Buckberry, from the University’s School of Archaeological and Forensic Sciences, shared her expertise on History Hits’ ‘Medieval Skeletons Reveal Brutal Final Moments’, which has been released on YouTube.
In the film, she examines three skeletons, which date back to the 13th and 14th century, and were found 30 years ago buried in what was originally a chapel at Stirling Castle, Scotland.
Dr Buckberry, a battle trauma expert, said: “I was delighted to share my research so far on the remains of these three people found at Stirling Castle.
“My research, funded by Historic Environment Scotland, continues and I am in the process of CT and micro-CT scanning the skeletons so we can digitally reconstruct the fragmented bones and understand the trauma better. We are also undertaking ancient DNA analysis on all of the skeletons for Stirling to investigate if they were related and where they might have come from.”
A closer look at the skeletons which were found in Stirling Castle. Image credits: History Hit
What the film features
The History Hit film looks at three of nine skeletons found at Stirling Castle.
Their identities remain a mystery but in the film Dr Buckberry reveals clues which help work out each skeleton’s sex and an estimated age range. She also looks at injuries to their bones which suggested they had all suffered brutal deaths. One of the skeletons featured in the film had suffered at least 100 injuries.
She is joined on the programme by Matt Lewis, History Hit’s Medieval expert historian and author, in the University’s Keith Manchester Laboratory.
Dr Jo Buckberry and Matt Lewis look into the identities of the skeletons found at Stirling Castle. Image credits: History Hit
Wars of Scottish Independence explained
Dr Buckberry believes the three skeletons date between 1296 to 1357 during the Wars of Scottish Independence, also known as the Anglo-Scottish Wars. These were a series of military campaigns fought between the Kingdoms of England and Scotland in the late 13th and 14th centuries. Scotland gained independence by the end of the conflict’s campaign.
King Edward I took control of Stirling Castle in 1304 and died three years later. Control of Stirling Castle returned to Scotland in 1311.
Dr Buckberry has previously worked on History Hit programmes including alongside bushcraft expert Ray Mears on the history of archery.
The programme, broadcast in 2022, looked at what the casualties of the Battle of Towton could reveal about the use of bow and arrows during the War of the Roses.
Dr Jo Buckberry and Matt Lewis look at one of the three skeletons. Image credits: History Hit