Stories of Scotland

Latest Episodes:

Northern Lights & the Battle of Flodden Jan 14, 2021

Show notes

Jenny and Annie take a dance across the mythologies of the northern lights of Scotland. Upon finding their Scots legends of the aurora borealis, they end up rather unexpectedly in the Battle of Flodden: a battle said to have been written in the sky. For this episode, we used the books: Rock-bound: a Story of the Shetland Isles by Jessie Margaret Edmondston Saxby published in 1877 and Fatal Rivalry, Flodden 1513 by George Goodwin published in 2013. We read extracted from the Fife Herald published on 3rd May 1838, the poem of Flodden by W E Ayton from Harper's new monthly magazine volume 28, and the song Northern Lights of Old Aberdeen by Mary Webb. We also retold this oral history from George Peterson: www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/fullrecord/77252Stories of Scotland is a multi-award winning Scottish history podcast, proudly recorded in Inverness in the Highlands. We research our heritage and mythology podcast using archives, books, museum objects, and oral histories from across Scotland. You can support Stories of Scotland on Patreon! www.patreon.com/storiesofscotland

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Christmas Special: Highland Yule Traditions Dec 24, 2020

Show notes

In this episode, Annie and Jenny take a festive Yuletide jaunt around Christmas time traditions in Scotland. We take a look at the almost completely lost highland tradition of the Clach an Groait stone, the world famous Orkney Ba tournament, and an old lady and her festive pig. This time of year is dark and cold, but these historic tales will warm your toes by the peat fire with kindness and generosity. For the wheelbarrow Christmas theiving and Clach an Groait lore, we read the Inverness Courier from 1843. For the Christmas pig oral history, listen here: www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/fullrecord/178Stories of Scotland is a multi-award winning Scottish history podcast, proudly recorded in Inverness in the Highlands. We research our heritage and mythology podcast using archives, books, museum objects, and oral histories from across Scotland. You can support Stories of Scotland on Patreon!www.patreon.com/storiesofscotland

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Viking Scotland: Norse Mythology in the Highlands and Islands Nov 30, 2020

Show notes

References:

We read an extract from the Shetland Times published on the 31st January 1903.

For discussing the saga, we read Last of the Free by James Hunter and Caithness in Sagas by Edward J Cowan.

These oral histories informed our stories of the Shetlandic trows:

www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/fullrecord/68053

www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/fullrecord/72787

www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/fullrecord/50885

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Skara Brae: A Neolithic Village in Orkney Nov 19, 2020

Show notes

Jenny has just returned from a holiday to Orkney and shares her experiences of visiting Skara Brae, a beautifully preserved stone age village. Annie uncovers the early archaeology of the site, and Jenny imagines what the lives of people were like 5000 years ago. They find a light-hearted ghost neolithic ghost story and wonder about the beliefs and superstitions of our ancient ancestors. Jenny and Annie highlight the imminent risk to Skara Brae from the climate crisis, and the fears that this incredible stone age settlement could be lost to coastal erosion. We used the following articles for researching this episode: Notice of Ruins of Ancient Dwellings at Skara, Bay of Skaill, in the Parish of Sandwich, Orkney, recently excavated by George Petrie; Final Report on the Operations at Skara Brae with a Report on Selected Animal Bones and a Report on Human Remains by Vere Gordon Childe; Storm and Stone- Accidental Archaeology at Skara Brae in Orkney by Virginia Zimmerman. Information about the storms of 1850 came from the John O’ Groat Journal published in that year. For visiting Skara Brae please check details on the Historic Environment Scotland website.

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Scottish Halloween & Vampire Fairy Witches Oct 31, 2020

Show notes

Read about the Baobhan Sith in The Gaelic Otherworld edited Ronald Black, which uses the text from Superstitions of the Highlands Islands by John Gregorson Campbell. Listen to more about MacPhee and his loyal black dog here:

www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/fullrecord/5820

www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/fullrecord/25460

http://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/fullrecord/40050

Our quotes for this episode come from the Elgin Centenarian originate in the Elgin Courier from 9 November 1849 and the Halloween Fairies Poem is from Fife Herald 19 May 1870.

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The Graveyard Next Door Oct 27, 2020

Show notes

Annie and Jenny take a gentle stroll through Chapel Yard Cemetery in Inverness and think about the stories that graveyards tell us. They encounter a succourer, a short snake, and a new perspective on the city they love. Have a look at Annie’s 1886 Visitors Guide to Inverness here: https://archive.org/details/visitorsguidetoi00unse/page/n1/mode/2upStories of Scotland is a multi-award winning Highland podcast, proudly recorded in Inverness in North of Scotland. We research our Scottish history, heritage, and mythology podcast using archives, books, museum objects, and oral histories from across Scotland.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cabbage Patch Murder of Inverness Oct 06, 2020

Show notes

The majority of research for this episode came from original archival material.

The front page of the newspaper discussing the missing livestock is the Inverness Courier from 28 November 1861.

The court records of the assault and murder trial are held at the National Records of Scotland, under the references of AD14/62/144 or alternatively JC26/1862//120.

Information about David Cumming and the Fergusson family was found in Scotland’s census records, birth, marriage and death papers.

We read extracts about the death and murder trial from the Inverness Courier published on 05 December 1861, 24 April 1862,01 May 1862. We also used the Elgin Courier from 02 May 1862 and the Renfrewshire Independent from August 9, 1862.

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Under the Light of the Harvest Moon Sep 28, 2020

Show notes

For the Lùnastal or Lammas Day traditions, we used ‘Old Scottish Customs: Local and General” by Ellen Emma Guthrie published in 1885.

archive.org/details/oldscottishcusto00guthuoft

Listen to the oral histories which we retold from Donald Sinclair. They are available on Tobar an Dualchais/ Kist o Riches.

www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/fullrecord/44301

www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/fullrecord/49033

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Scottish Ghosts: Hauntings in the Press Sep 21, 2020

Show notes

Jenny and Annie investigate real Scottish ghost stories as found in local newspapers in this light-hearted spooky episode. They begin in the town of Port Glasgow, where a family is being tormented by noises, spectral animals and some nasty phantom vegetables. The trusty journalist however suspects a hoax instead of a ghost. Next, they visit one of Scotland’s most haunted buildings: Fyvie Castle. They look at how the discovery of bones hidden within a wall of Fyvie Castle inspired ghost stories of Grey and Green Ladies. The local press covered these mysterious bones with much enthusiasm, so we have the words of people who experienced the discovery of the skeleton in the wall as it happened, and have their own ideas about the Green Lady. Finally, they explore a wraith in the Gorbals of Glasgow. We consider the sensational press of ghost stories, and what they can tell us about everyday lives and ideas of afterlives. Stories of Scotland is a multi-award winning Highland podcast, proudly recorded in Inverness in North of Scotland. We research our Scottish history, heritage, and mythology podcast using archives, books, museum objects, and oral histories from across Scotland.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elgin Cathedral & the Wolf of Badenoch Sep 14, 2020

Show notes

In the first episode of Season 4, Annie and Jenny take a wander around the magnificent ruins of Elgin Cathedral. Known as the Lantern of the North for, as you’ll discover, many reasons - the cathedral has a rich and dark history, and as much of it as possible is squeezed into this episode! From those dreadful fires that won’t stop being set to sinking ships and wolf attacks, the Cathedral is more than just a tourist site. Listen in to hear the many tales of Elgin Cathedral at the start of our extended run-up to Halloween!Stories of Scotland is a multi-award winning Highland podcast, proudly recorded in Inverness in North of Scotland. We research our Scottish history, heritage, and mythology podcast using archives, books, museum objects, and oral histories from across Scotland.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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