Dig may have found ancient monk's home

ARCHAEOLOGISTS may have found the home of St Baldred of the Bass, one of the best known monks of 8th century Scotland.

Relics from one of the first settlements at North Berwick suggest the hermit lived at Anchor Green, next to the site of the Scottish Seabird Centre at the town’s harbour.

Until recently the area was known only to have been a medieval cemetery but now archaeologists have found domestic animal bones and remains of burned food dating to the 8th century - revealing that people lived on the site.

Tom Addyman, who is leading the 20,000 dig, said: "We have found two layers comprising a 12th century church with an early Christian site underneath. The church would have been built on top of an earlier church so it would have only been a holy man that lived here. St Baldred of the Bass is linked to the area so we think this is where he could have lived."