A HIDDEN fort believed to have been the home of Sir William Wallace and his men has been uncovered.

The site near Lochmaben in southern Scotland was thought to have been built by the Scottish freedom fighter in the 13th century.

Researchers believe it was a hidden stronghold where he and his 16 men would "sally forth to annoy the English".

The find was uncovered by archaeologists from Forestry and Land Scotland who investigated the site where the fort is believed to have once stood.

Hundreds of photographs were also taken by aerial footage experts Skyscape Survey, and the images stitched together to create a 3D model of the hidden site for the first time.

The location in Dumfriesshire was listed in The New Statistical Account of Scotland, published between 1834 and 1845 as the location of a small fort occupied by Wallace.

The account details parish reports covering a vast range of topics including agriculture, education, trades, religion and social customs.

The small fort was described as Wallace's House, built on a summit with an "extensive view" to the south and protected by a large fosse (or ditch) which "must have been a strong place of defence".

The entry continued: "Sir William Wallace, while meditating the capture of the castle of Lochmaben in 1297, is said to have kept 16 men there, with whom he sallied forth to annoy the English garrison."

During the medieval period, England started treating its northern neighbor much like a feudal territory and it's kings constantly attempted to invade Scotland.

This arrangement understandably angered Wallace, who famously rallied Scotland's staunchest patriots.

Together, they trounced the English at the Battle of Stirling Bridge in September 1297.

He was appointed Guardian of Scotland and served until a devastating defeat at the Battle of Falkirk just ten months later.

In August 1305, Wallace was captured in Robroyston, near Glasgow, and handed over to King Edward I of England, who had him imprisoned.

He was then hanged, drawn and quartered for high treason and crimes against English civilians.

But Wallace's precise movements in the months between these two pivotal skirmishes remain somewhat mysterious.

It is thought he built the fort around 1297 between two ravines, Black Linn and Tor Linn.

Matt Ritchie, archaeologist at Forestry and Land Scotland, said: "It must have been the 'strong place of defence' described by the Account, the rampart topped with a timber palisade and enclosing timber buildings built to house the soldiers and their horses.

"But could the fort really have been built by William Wallace and his men? I'd like to think so - and, either way, the survey has added a new chapter to an old story.

"In recent years we have been working with Skyscape Survey to develop the methodology of drone-generated photogrammetric survey, combining accurate survey methods with innovative visualisation techniques.

"Hundreds of photographs taken from the air by remote-controlled drones are stitched together using point-matching software to create a 3D terrain model, stripping away scrub and ground vegetation.

"Height detail is refined by adding close contours and orthographic colour.

"It's a fascinating and revealing technique that really begins to open up the landscape and this seemed like an ideal site to investigate.

"There isn't much evidence on the surface, but the rampart and topography matches the historic description very well."

The hills around the site still contain ancient semi-natural woodlands with mature native Oak, Ash, Birch, Rowan, Alder, Willows and all the associated flora and fauna.