Digging for history at Culloden

This week, Jackie Bird is in Culloden to join the merry band 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 lasted just a short time, it was hugely consequential and new elements of its story continue to be discovered through archaeological digs. Find out how decisions are made on where to excavate, and what inspires people to devote their time to the quest for hidden artefacts.

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For more information on Culloden, click here.

You might enjoy some of our past episodes on Culloden. Simply scroll back through the Love Scotland feed to hear about the battle and its aftermath.

To support our work, you can donate to the Culloden Fighting Fund, which helps our collaborative approach to managing the battlefield and protecting the site for future generations. And if you’re a resident of the USA, you can show your support through the National Trust for Scotland Foundation USA.

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 and legacy of Henry VIII’s sister. From a young pawn to a powerful and protective queen, Margaret certainly made her impact on history.

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For more information on Falkland Palace, click here.

You might enjoy some of our past episodes on Mary, Queen of Scots. Simply scroll back through the Love Scotland feed to hear about Margaret’s granddaughter.

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 out.

This year marks 70 years since the National Trust for Scotland acquired Fair Isle, the most remote inhabited island in the UK. While now perhaps best known as a seabird paradise and the home to world-renowned knitwear, Fair Isle is also the site of Iron Age settlements, a Second World War German plane, a Stevenson lighthouse… and not far offshore, the remains of El Gran Grifón.

Joining Jackie to discuss the Spanish ship and how it came to be so far north is Dr Colin Martin, a marine archaeologist who, with his colleague Sydney Wignall, excavated the wreck in 1970.

To enjoy more episodes of Love Scotland, please follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

For more information on Fair Isle, click here.

You might enjoy some of our past episodes on island history. Simply scroll back through the Love Scotland feed to hear instalments on Canna House’s archive and the evacuation of St Kilda.

If you would like to support our work helping others through education, access and outreach activities, please click here.

Actor: Scarlett Mack