Borders Bletherings: Recent Episodes
Borders Bletherings
Everyone knows the history of Scotland: the romance of the highlands with Bonnie Prince Charlie, the Northern Isles with their Pictish and Viking heritage, Dundee with Jute and Jam, Glasgow and its shipyards and Edinburgh and the New Town Enlightenment. But what of the Borders? A published historian and archivist, Mary, and her friend, Doug, explore the less well-trodden paths of Scottish history and folklore as they shine a light on some of the best kept secrets of times past and present in the Scottish Borders. Join them as they chat and natter about the chequered history of the Borders region and reveal that, despite the best efforts of Hollywood, not all of the dramatic, historical intrigue and derring-do took place in the Scottish Highlands.
The Darien Venture: how the Scots set out to create an overland route to connect the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.
The Darien Venture: how the Scots set out to create an overland route to connect the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.
Christian knights, infidels, battles, Constantinople and an elephant - the story of the Crusades.
Pilgrimage in the Borders - listen as Mary and Doug wander the medieval pilgrim routes and discover the realities of pilgrimage.
The stories of Thomas the Rhymer and Tam Lin, come with Mary and Doug in this instalment as they explore the shadowy and definitely magical world of the Scottish Borders.
The Great Pestilence in the Borders, how Bubonic Plague shaped social and economic life in the 14th century.
How Scottish is the Scottish Borders Region? In this podcast, Mary and Doug debate this question and explore what it really means to be Scottish.
The rich story of Scotland's Gypsy Kings and Queens.
(The word 'Gypsy' is used here in its historical sense and no disrespect is intended in its use)
1848 saw the coming of the railway in the Scottish Borders. This opened up the region and helped the mills to flourish. The railway company shareholders made fortunes while the Irish Navvies faced prejudice with every mile of track they laid. This is their story.
Doug and Mary discuss the Common Riding festivals of the Scottish Borders and their origins.