Love Scotland: Stories of Scotland's History and Nature

This episode was first released in 2022. As we enter December, we’re revisiting a podcast all about how the National Trust for Scotland creates and installs authentic decorations in its places. Listen in as Jackie meets Dr Jo Riley from Castle Fraser, who led a Trust research project into traditional decorations and how they have changed over time. From garlands to gifts, candles to clementines, Jo has examined exactly how previous residents in homes like Castle Fraser would have celebrated. Jackie and Jo discuss the pagan roots of the festive season, why mistletoe didn’t always mean romance, and who it was that first brough yule logs to Scottish shores. Find out more about Dr Jo Riley’s research by clicking here. You can also get the latest visitor information on Castle Fraser, and all of our properties, on the National Trust for Scotland website. Love Scotland will return in the New Year. Please remember to follow, rate and review the podcast on your podcast platform of choice.

Earlier this year, a coalition of leading Scottish heritage and design organisations – including the National Trust for Scotland – joined together to secure the future of the Bernat Klein Studio. This building was used by textile designer Bernat Klein, who was perhaps best known for his international collections for Chanel and Dior. To understand more about the man behind the studio, and the building’s future, Jackie speaks with Alison Harley, Chair of the Bernat Klein Foundation, and author Shelley Klein, Bernat’s daughter. The full restoration of the Bernat Klein Studio will be carried out by the project coalition, led by Scottish Historic Buildings Trust (SHBT), in partnership with the Bernat Klein Foundation and the National Trust for Scotland. Visit bernatkleinstudio.org.uk to learn more, support the project and receive updates. To enjoy more episodes of Love Scotland, please follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

This week, Jackie is on the trail of spittle-makers, quarrel-pickers, yowlers and the other traditional craftspeople whose skills have vanished from mainstream life. Alongside academic, broadcaster and author James Fox, Jackie unpicks stories of handmade crafts and the social history behind their disappearance. James’s book, Craftland, documents many of these arts and trades right across Britain. It’s available online and in book shops now. You can find more about the places in the National Trust for Scotland’s care with links to industry here. To enjoy more episodes of Love Scotland, please follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

This episode contains descriptions of violence that may not be suitable for all listeners. In this week’s episode, Jackie is joined by historian Steven Veerapen to discuss the role James VI played in Scotland’s witch trials. Between the late 16th and mid-17th centuries, an estimated 4,000 to 6,000 people – most of whom were women – were tried for witchcraft, with around 1,500 executed as a result of the trials. King James VI played a leading role in the trials, writing a detailed dissertation on the subject of witchcraft that encouraged and endorsed the practice of witch hunting. You can read our 2021 study into the connections between Trust places and the witch trials here. To hear more episodes of Love Scotland, please follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

This week, Jackie delves into the National Trust for Scotland’s archives. Along the way, she discovers stories of a past US President, a unlikely connection to the Titanic, and details of how places came to be acquired by the Trust. Joining Jackie is Trust archivist Ian Riches, who cares from the Trust’s rich collection of important historic material. You can find more about the National Trust for Scotland’s collections here. To enjoy more episodes of Love Scotland, please follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

In this week’s episode, Jackie is tracing the events that ultimately led to the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. In essence, that means following the life and legacy of William Wallace – a historical figure whose story is the stuff of legend. Unpicking the facts from the fiction is Professor Dauvit Broun from the University of Glasgow, who charts the rise and fall of Wallace and reveals exactly what role he played in the events of the early 14th century. You can find more about Bannockburn here. To enjoy more episodes of Love Scotland, please follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

This week, Jackie dives into a biographical account of life on the remote St Kilda in the early 20th century. Using handwritten diaries kept by Alice MacLachlan, a schoolteacher who lived on the archipelago between August 1906 and May 1909, we can get a hugely personal view of the challenges and unique circumstances of life there. In this special episode, you will hear extracts from the diaries brought to life and original music inspired by the islands. You can find more about the St Kilda diaries here. Find out more about St Kilda here. To enjoy more episodes of Love Scotland, please follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

They are the soundtrack to weddings, funerals, Burns night celebrations and more. Bagpipes have earned their places as the national instrument of Scotland and holds a special place in the heart of many Scots and the global diaspora. Today, Jackie discovers the history and cultural significance of the Great Highland bagpipes, which are one of hundreds of types of bagpipes played around the world. She’s joined by Richard McLauchlan, piper and author of The Bagpipes: A Cultural History. Together, they discuss the role of bagpipes in Scottish history, what makes the Great Highland bagpipes so special, and the surprising identity of the first person ever described as a bagpiper. To enjoy more episodes of Love Scotland, please follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Whether it’s a woodland walk, a wild swim, or a mosey around a garden, we’ve all experienced the effects of nature on our wellbeing. Here at the Trust we know this too well, which is why we’ve launched our Walk 25 campaign – see below. This week on the podcast, Jackie explores the science behind this phenomenon to discover why the natural world can have such a powerful influence on our health and mood. Professor Kathy Willis of the University of Oxford joins Jackie to reveal her findings in this area, and to offer some top tips to boost the positive effects of nature. If you’re looking for more outdoor inspiration, visit nts.org.uk/walk25. To enjoy more episodes of Love Scotland, please follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Reporting from both Rome and the studio, Jackie tracks the life of Charles Edward Stuart – known to many by the nickname of Bonnie Prince Charlie – after the events of the Battle of Culloden. Between his birth in Italy’s capital in 1720 and his death, also in Rome in 1788, Charles led a life of great historical significance. Today, though, Jackie focuses on his final years. Joined by Dr Calum Cunningham of the University of Stirling, and Italian academic Stefano Baccolo, they discuss Charles’s legacy, his family, and his experience upon returning to Rome, To enjoy more episodes of Love Scotland, please follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. For more on Culloden, click here or visit the National Trust for Scotland website. You can also find more episodes on the life of Charles Edward Stuart and the Battle of Culloden by scrolling down the Love Scotland feed.