For the majority of Scottish monarchs, the end of their reign was marked by death. The reign of Constantine II is somewhat of an outlier in this sense, ending when the king abdicated to become a monk. … More Constantine II: The Scottish King Who Became a Monk
In September 1736, John Porteous, Captain of Edinburgh’s City Guard, was lynched by an angry mob of local residents. Overpowered and taken from the Tolbooth prison, Captain Porteous was dragged through the streets of the Old Town to the Grassmarket, where he was eventually hanged. This gruesome incident marked the climax of what came to … More The Story of the Edinburgh Lawman Lynched by an Angry Mob
If you’re searching for kelpies in 2022, look no further than Falkirk. The two iconic sculptures, erected in 2013, are a sight to behold and well worth the daytrip. But what are kelpies? … More Tales from Scottish Mythology: What Are Kelpies?
The Quintinshill rail disaster in 1915 claimed more than 220 lives, including 216 soldiers from ‘Leith’s Own’ 7th Royal Scots. … More The WW1 Rail Disaster that Devastated the Community of Leith
On 2nd March 1938, Scottish woman Jessie Jordan was arrested on charges of espionage. An inconspicuous hairdresser living in Dundee, it would transpire that Jordan was in fact a spy for German military intelligence service, the Abwehr. Jordan’s arrest had wide-reaching implications, not least for British intelligence services, and led to the exposure of a … More The Story of Jessie Jordan, a Dundee Hairdresser Exposed as a German Spy
On 10th February 1306, John III Comyn of Badenoch was murdered in Dumfries by Robert the Bruce. … More A Deadly Encounter in Dumfries
On 11th April 1705, three sailors were hanged at Leith Sands before an animated crowd of locals. There is much evidence to suggest the trio were wrongfully executed. … More The Story of the English ‘Pirates’ Wrongfully Hanged in Leith
Fought on the 17th January 1746, the Battle of Falkirk Muir marked an impressive victory for the Jacobite cause, but one that would have little impact on the eventual outcome of the conflict. … More The Battle of Falkirk Muir: A ‘Hollow Victory’ for the Jacobite Cause
The Massacre of Tranent started as a protest against the conscription of working-class Scottish men but quickly boiled over into violence. … More The Massacre of Tranent: When Defiant Miners Faced British Dragoons
The island of Inchkeith boasts a peculiar and chequered history. During both world wars, this craggy outcrop in the Firth of Forth formed part of a defensive network which protected shipping and kept watch for elusive German U-boats. Featuring bunkers, artillery positions and anti-aircraft guns, the island was a fortress and would likely have been … More The Bizarre Inchkeith Language Experiment Commissioned by King James IV