The History of Scotland Magazine

Golf originated on the eastern coast of Scotland. In those early days players would attempt to hit a pebble over sand dunes and around tracks using a bent stick or club.

The Two Pretenders of the title were James Edward Stuart, known as the Old Pretender, and his son Charles Edward Stuart, the Young Pretender. Both were determined to take their place – in their opinion, their rightful place – on the British throne.

The Scottish ‘Honours’ are the oldest Royal Regalia in Britain and can be seen in Edinburgh Castle. The ‘Honours’ were first used together at the coronation of the nine-month-old Mary, Queen of Scots in 1543.

The list of British Naval heroes is a long and illustrious one, including the likes of Drake, Nelson, Rodney, Hood and of course Thomas Cochrane. Thomas who, you may ask?

Poison was the first choice for many murderers in the Victorian era – and was particularly popular with women!

The King James Bible has long been celebrated as one of the most significant texts of all time, not only for its accessible portrayal of the Christian religion, but also for its ability to spread the English language worldwide.

What drove three experienced lightkeepers to abandon their post on a remote island in the Outer Hebrides?

The Border burghs of Scotland were always the first places to feel the onslaught of the English invaders. They celebrate their continuing existence with a flamboyant ceremony called the ‘Common Ridings’, an event that marks the right of the common land.