In our final episode of 2024, Jackie Bird heads to Edinburgh to take a look at Stitched: Scotland’s Embroidered Art – a new exhibition that tells the nation’s story through textiles. The result of a two-year research and conservation programme by the National Trust for Scotland, Stitched puts many delicate pieces of needlework on public display for…

This week, Jackie Bird is in Culloden to join the team of archaeologists hoping to unlock more of the battlefield’s historic secrets. With the National Trust for Scotland’s Head of Archaeology Derek Alexander, Jackie discovers how modern techniques are helping to unearth musket balls, coins and buttons. Though the battle on 16 April 1746 may have l…

When we think of a queen of Scots, Mary is very much the first one who comes to mind. But her grandmother, Margaret Tudor, played an equally crucial role in 16th-century Scotland. Here, her story is told. Linda Porter, author of The Thistle and the Rose, which tells the story of this overlooked historical figure, joins Jackie to discuss the life an…

The idea of Scotland being caught up in the story of the Spanish Armada may seem bizarre, and yet wrecked off Fair Isle is one of the Spanish fleet’s flagship vessels. How did this 650-ton ship come to end up in the North Sea? And how do the activities of the Armada relate to, among others, Mary, Queen of Scots? Jackie Bird is on a mission to find …

The Wicker Man is widely regarded as one of the best British horror films of all time. The strange tale of Sergeant Neil Howie’s doomed trip to Summerisle has cemented itself in popular culture since the film’s 1973 release, and with it, immortalised several of the National Trust for Scotland’s places on screen. Joining Jackie Bird to dissect this …

Sculptor Andy Scott, the creator of the iconic Kelpies, joins Jackie Bird to discuss his incredible work, Scotland’s position in the art world, and his aspirations for the future. Together, they talk about the physical demands of working on such large pieces of metalwork, the catharsis of sculpting, and how his Scottish identity influences his crea…

This week, host Jackie Bird is at Robert Smail’s Print Works in the Scottish Borders to see the oldest working commercial letterpress printers in the UK. She meets the team that keeps the printing works running today and hears about the history of the press and its eponymous owner. Jackie also discovers secrets of the ever-changing publishing indus…

We all know the songs and poems written by one of Scotland’s most famous sons – but who were the people that most influenced his life and his writing? Host Jackie Bird is on a mission to find out. This week, she’s joined by Christoper Waddell, learning manager at the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, and Professor Gerard Carruthers, Fellow of the Roy…

How do you restore a 200-year-old church on one of Scotland’s most remote islands? Jackie Bird sits down with Susan Bain, property manager of St Kilda, to find out. A dual UNESCO World Heritage Site that sits on the edge of the Atlantic, St Kilda is vital to Scottish history but a big challenge for the Trust to care for properly. Once inhabited yea…

Meet Hugh Miller: the man regarded as the David Attenborough of his day. Though often overlooked in the history books, this self-taught geologist helped to popularise natural history to his Victorian audience. What did he help to discover about prehistoric Scotland? How were his scientific findings viewed by his peers? And why has he not remained b…

As the Edinburgh Festival Fringe gets into full swing, Jackie Bird takes a walk from Gladstone’s Land along the Royal Mile to discover the dark side of this city centre street. Guiding Jackie through the murky past is Eric Melvin, veteran tour guide and author of A Walk Down Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. Expect tales of body-snatching, the exploits of De…

Whether you’re out every week hitting the links, or consider golf a good walk spoiled, the sport is undeniably a key ingredient in Scotland’s social tapestry. At Kingarrock Hickory Golf Course, the only remaining course of its kind in the UK, Jackie meets Dave Allan, visitor services assistant at the Hill of Tarvit venue. She also meets Hannah Flem…

Recorded in Falkland Palace’s chapel royal, host Jackie Bird and her guest Steven Veerapen discuss the adult life and legacy of James VI of Scotland and I of England. During his reign, the king faced a host of challenges, from religious tensions to anti-Scottish sentiment in his London court, not to mention Guy Fawkes’ gunpowder plot. Veerapen’s bo…

It is 1959. You're at the mercy of Dr Ewen Cameron, his Sleep Room at the Allan Memorial Institute in Montreal, Canada, and Subproject 68 of something you'd never heard of called MKULTRA. This episode is a remake of an episode we first put out in 2021. The original will stay on our feed as it works in a different way to this one. CW: This episode c…

How many have you bagged? Mountaineers and hikers from across the UK and beyond have flocked to Scotland to take on the Munros – Scottish peaks more than 3,000 feet high – ever since the list of such mountains was created by Sir Hugh Munro in 1891. The National Trust for Scotland cares for 46 of these Munros, including Ben Lomond, Ben Lawers, Ben M…

In 1941, cargo ship the SS Politician ran aground near Eriskay, an island in the Hebrides. On board? Some 22,000 cases of whisky. What followed has been immortalised on page and screen in Whisky Galore, a retelling of how local islanders made the most of the unexpected arrival of so much alcohol, and how the authorities tried to stop them. But what…

Host Jackie Bird is joined by curator Antonia Laurence-Allan and historian Sally Tuckett to discuss all things 18th-century fashion. Recorded inside the Georgian House, just days before the exhibition Ramsay & Edinburgh Fashion opened its doors, the trio talk about the artist Allan Ramsay and the women behind the paintings. What was life like for s…

How often do you think about the Roman Empire? Michael is joined by Max Miller from Tasting History with Max Miller to talk about what life would have been like for ordinary soldiers living on Hadrian's Wall, and how the uncertainty that came with his death might have affected them. This episode is part one of a three parter - so make sure to subsc…

It is 1792. Robert Burns is about to single-handedly storm a ship full of smugglers and kickstart the French Revolution... or is he? Don't forget to rate us ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and check out our social media here. CREDITS: Written, narrated & produced by Michael Park. Additional voices by David Allan. Music by Mitch Bain. A special version of 'The Deil's Aw…

Joining Jackie this week is Tom Conti, the Paisley-born actor best known for his roles on stage and screen, including 1978’s Whose Life Is It Anyway and 2023’s Oppenheimer. The recipient of Tony and Olivier award, Tom was also named the 2024 Great Scot by the National Trust for Scotland Foundation USA earlier this year. In his conversation with Jac…

It is 22nd May 1915. Just before 6.50am. The troop special from Larbert is taking troops, mocked by politicians and Lord Kitchener himself, to the front lines at Gallipoli. But as it reaches Quintinshill, just outside Gretna, something happens that will change the course of history. Don't forget to rate us ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and check out our social media …

Earlier this year, the National Trust for Scotland revealed that a Second World War plane propeller had been found on Arran. Mysteriously, the propeller was wrapped in an old potato sack and had been discovered deep in a peat bog. How did it get there? The Trust’s Head of Archaeology, Derek Alexander, led an investigation to find out. He joins Jack…

Earlier this year, Mackintosh at the Willow – a tea room on Glasgow’s Sauchiehall Street that dates back to 1903 – joined the National Trust for Scotland’s portfolio of special places. To better understand the venue and the role it played in Edwardian Glasgow, Jackie sits down for a cup of tea with two expert guests. Celia Sinclair Thornqvist MBE, …

It is 1651. General George Monck just can't stop turning heel... and today he's got Stirling Castle in his sights. Don't forget to rate us ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and check out our social media here. CREDITS: Written, narrated & produced by Michael Park. Music by Mitch Bain.द्वारा Be Quiet Media

This week, Jackie and her guest discuss six objects in the Trust’s collections that help to tell the stories of some of the most fascinating women connected to Trust places. Regional curators Emma Inglis and Antonia Laurence-Allen help to paint a picture of these six women, whose lives and jobs range from being an ale-brewer in 1600s Edinburgh to t…

So far this series we’ve looked at two of Scotland’s most famous monarchs: Robert the Bruce and Mary, Queen of Scots. Today, we step back further in time to meet the rulers whose names have become more forgotten to time. Helping Jackie to acquaint herself with the earliest kings and queens of Scotland is Richard Oram, a professor of medieval and en…

It is 1923. A temporary radio station has been set up to sell car radios to the great and good of Glaswegian society. But it's more important than that. This is the first time Scotland has had a proper radio station. And it's going to change everything... Graham Stewart lends his expertise as we explore the impact of 2BP on the nascent BBC. His boo…

Arguably the most famous monarch in Scottish history, Mary, Queen of Scots remains a figure of global intrigue more than 400 years after her death. One question, then: why? In a previous episode of Love Scotland, Jackie explored the life and times of Mary. Today, she’s on a mission to find out why Mary’s story and legacy have been pored over in suc…

In the second part of a two-episode biography of Robert the Bruce’s life, Jackie returns to the studio with Professor Dauvit Broun of the University of Glasgow. Last week, we looked at the early life of Robert and how his canny abilities, not to mention his tendency to switch allegiance at opportune moments, helped him to secure power. But what cam…

It is 1883. The River Clyde in Glasgow is a hive of activity as yet another ship gets ready to launch. The SS Daphne is a simple steamer, but her story will go down as one of the greatest tragedies on British soil. Michael takes a trip to Craigton Cemetery in Glasgow to remember the victims in this episode of Scotland - a podcast all about Scottish…

Welcome to a new series of Love Scotland. In this week’s episode, Jackie is joined by Professor Dauvit Broun of the University of Glasgow to discuss the life of Robert the Bruce. Robert, King of Scots from 1306-1329, led a fascinating life full of changing allegiances, shifting power and military victories. How much of our common understanding of t…

Jackie gives a brief introduction to brand-new season of the Love Scotland podcast. We're going across the centuries to delve into the stories of Mary Queen of Scots and Robert the Bruce, then skipping ahead to the tales of the Georgian Tea Room. Jackie also hears from the Trust's archaeology team about wartime relics beind unearthed across the cou…

It's almost Burns Night which means that it's time for us to check in with the Bard. This time we travel back to 1785 and we find Robert Burns' best friend Gavin Hamilton in a bit of a legal pickle with some irate clergymen. This is the true story behind Holy Willie's Prayer. Don't forget to rate us ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and check out our social media here. C…

We finish our pick of episodes from the archives with this conversation between Jackie and actor Sam Heughan, first released in 2022. The Dumfries and Galloway-born Outlander star, who has also launched his own whisky brand and became a New York Times bestselling author in 2020, joined Jackie to discuss his on-screen adventures at some of Scotland’…

In the sixties there were loads of famous names in motorsport. Hill, Moss, Surtees, Von Trips... but none of them could come close to the quiet Scottish farmer from Berwickshire who took Formula 1 by storm. Meet Jim Clark - the Fastest Man on Earth in this episode of Scotland - A Scottish History Podcast. Don't forget to rate us ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and chec…

We’re rolling out the red carpet for this episode from the archives, first released in 2022. With Hollywood’s eyes on this weekend’s Academy Awards, take a dive into this cinematic history of Scotland’s relationship with the silver screen. What was the first film to earn Scotland a place on the movie-making map? Which horror cult classic was shot i…

This week, we’re going all the way back to Roman times – an an episode first released in 2023 – to find out about the Antonine wall and why Scotland was ‘Rome’s Afghanistan’. What led to the speedy evacuation of the Antonine wall, which was once garrisoned by thousands of Roman soldiers? What was Rome’s relationship with the lands beyond the wall r…

This week, we’re returning to one of our most popular episodes, which was first released in May 2022. Jackie was joined by Dr Ciaran Jones, the lead researcher and author of a report on the links between NTS properties and the witch trials of the 16th-18th centuries. Why did Scotland try to execute five times as many so-called witches as the rest o…

Production is underway on the next full series of Love Scotland, but in the meantime, we’re diving into the archives to highlight five of the top episodes of all time. This week, we’re returning to two episodes that – when combined – offer a full look at the Massacre of Glencoe. Some 332 years ago this week, around 30 members of Clan MacDonald were…

As another series of Love Scotland draws to a close, Jackie gathers two companions to discuss the “song that everybody sings”: Auld Lang Syne. With lyrics penned by Robert Burns in 1788, but origins dating back further, it is now a global anthem of friendship, celebration, yearning and nostalgia. Mairi Campbell, a Scottish musician whose version of…

Seals and other winter wildlife at St Abb’s Head This week, Jackie makes a return to St Abb’s Head in the Scottish Borders, just months after she last visited to investigate the summer’s avian flu outbreak. In the winter, many of the seabirds may have disappeared – but there are still a lot to be found. Joined once again by Head Ranger Ciaran Hatse…