Skeleton provides historic clues

A skeleton found under a castle floor may shed further light on an unsolved mystery over an ancient royal household, experts believe. The skeleton, at least 450 years old, was found on Thursday during survey work at Stirling Castle in central Scotland.

The discovery could help establish whether the castle - at that time the home of Scotland's monarchs - had its own chapel, as archaeologists have long wondered. The survey work was being carried out in preparation for restoration work at the castle.

The government agency Historic Scotland said the skeleton, of a male, possibly in his mid-20s, was found buried under a floor in an area of the castle known as the army kitchens. The body was buried lying in an east-west direction and was therefore plainly a Christian burial, a spokesman said.