In 2021-22 Scotland celebrates the 250th anniversary of one of its most famous sons, Sir Walter Scott.

Nobody has done more to give a nation a sense of itself. Through the mines of his imagination and the magic of his pen, he celebrated the history and landscapes of Scotland in a string of best-selling books that dominated the 19th century.

Scott’s legacy can still be experienced in the most extraordinary and unexpected places across Scotland, including many of the castles and towers we care for.

Jedburgh Abbey | Sir Walter Scott - Celebrating 250 Years

Glasgow Cathedral | Sir Walter Scott - Celebrating 250 Years

Dunstaffanage Castle | Sir Walter Scott - Celebrating 250 Years

Extracts from Fort George's Garrison and Regimental Order Books.

Fort George Orders

Onwards

Listen to a delivery of charcoal being brought to Bonawe by horse and cart along the side of the lade. The waterwheel was powered by creating a lade joining the Awe and Nant rivers. You can still follow the route to the river.

Delivery By The Lade

The story of the undead churchman known as the Hunderprest, translated and adapted from a 12th-century Latin text and performed by Douglas Russell.

Melrose Abbey and the Undead Priest, part 1

Melrose Abbey and the Undead Priest, part 2

Melrose Abbey and the Undead Priest part 3

Melrose Abbey and the Undead Priest, part 4

Mary Somerville's description of her early passion for learning, and finding a friend and guide in her uncle - the minister of Jedburgh Abbey.

Mary Somerville in Jedburgh: Education

This is an exploration of Scottish places like Orkney, Angus, Argyll, and Avondale, providing listeners a sensory experience that blends history, geography, sound, and memory, exploring the lasting impact and complexities of Scottish colonialism.

Download transcript: https://www.historicenvironment.scot/media/9693/argyle-battery-a-path-upon-a-rock-transcript.docx (Word, 20KB)

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'Nzira Yeparuware', which translates to ‘a path upon a rock’, is a sound exhibition exploring colonialism’s impact on the environment. Created by Zimbabwe-born artist Tanatsei Gambura, in partnership by the artist Tanatsei Gambura with Historic Environment Scotland and the University of Edinburgh, the exhibition takes visitors to Edinburgh Castle on a sound walk through the historic site to map Scotland's involvement in the creation of Zimbabwe’s streetscapes.

The exhibition was developed from field recordings taken at a selection of sites in Harare in Zimbabwe which were named after streets in Scottish places including Aberdeen, Angus, Edinburgh, Fife, Jedburgh, Lanark, Midlothian, Orkney, Perth and more. 

To find out more, visit: https://linktr.ee/nzira_yeparuware.

Nzira Yeparuware

Argyle Battery

This piece is the Kyrie from the Mass Horrendo subdenda rotarum manchinamento or ‘Catherine Wheel’ Mass. Anon (Scottish) – edition and completion J. Cook. Performed by The Binchois Consort, Dir. Andrew Kirkman.

It forms part of a medieval Scottish Mass, and was recorded within an acoustic recreation of the Linlithgow Palace chapel.

Catherine Wheel Mass

Catherine Wheel Mass (Kyrie from the Mass Horrendo subdenda rotarum manchinamento

Welcome to the Historic Scotland Podcast – exclusive to members. Join your host, Scottish actor and storyteller Sarah MacGillivray, on a captivating journey through Scotland's most iconic historic sites. This podcast offers a unique, behind-the-scenes glimpse of the rich tapestry of stories and rituals woven into these ancient places. 

Podcast Trailer

Thaney's Haven was a series of workshops for women and girls’ groups led by writer Rebecca Sharp, to accompany her project Maiden Mother Mage

Natalia - The Best Place in my Life

Download transcript:
https://www.historicenvironment.scot/media/ey3pjzsb/5_natalia-transcription.docx (Word, 14kb)

Download the translation:
https://www.historicenvironment.scot/media/ittbvdma/5_natalia-translation.docx (Word, 16 kb)

Natalia - The Best Place in my Life

Thaney's Haven was a series of workshops for women and girls’ groups led by writer Rebecca Sharp, to accompany her project Maiden Mother Mage

Tetiana - The Path to Understanding

Download transcript:
https://www.historicenvironment.scot/media/g1kdrhh0/6_tetiana-transcription.docx (Word, 14kb)

Download the translation:
https://www.historicenvironment.scot/media/yllfzp3b/6_tetiana-translation.docx(Word, 14kb)

Tetiana - The Path to Understanding

Thaney's Haven was a series of workshops for women and girls’ groups led by writer Rebecca Sharp, to accompany her project Maiden Mother Mage

Viktoriia - I am Sailing

Download transcript:
https://www.historicenvironment.scot/media/3icjf1gs/3_viktoriia-transcription.docx (Word, 15kb)

Download the translation:
https://www.historicenvironment.scot/media/ubhmmvbl/3_viktoriia-translation.docx (Word, 14 kb)

Viktoriia - I am Sailing

Thaney's Haven was a series of workshops for women and girls’ groups led by writer Rebecca Sharp, to accompany her project Maiden Mother Mage
Maryna - Being a Mother in Ukraine  

Download transcript:
https://www.historicenvironment.scot/media/k1mkvzd5/1_maryna-transcription.docx (Word, 14kb)

Download the translation:
https://www.historicenvironment.scot/media/mr3pqnkp/1_maryna-translation.docx (Word, 16 kb)

Maryna - Being a Mother in Ukraine

Thaney's Haven was a series of workshops for women and girls’ groups led by writer Rebecca Sharp, to accompany her project Maiden Mother Mage

Olena - Me and Me at 16 

Download transcript:
https://www.historicenvironment.scot/media/plcnwktv/2_olena-transcription.docx (Word, 15kb)

Download the translation:
https://www.historicenvironment.scot/media/nvvlwtus/2_olena-translation.docx (Word, 16 kb)

Olena - Me and Me at 16

Thaney's Haven was a series of workshops for women and girls’ groups led by writer Rebecca Sharp, to accompany her project Maiden Mother Mage

Maryna - Being a Mother in Ukraine  

Download transcript:
https://www.historicenvironment.scot/media/jj5fhvs3/4_mariya-transcription.docx (Word, 14kb)

Download the translation:
https://www.historicenvironment.scot/media/lzebi3v4/4_mariya-translation.docx  (Word, 14 kb)

Mariya - A Safer Future

Thaney's Haven was a series of workshops for women and girls’ groups led by writer Rebecca Sharp, to accompany her project Maiden Mother Mage

Olga – I Remember the Sea of Azov

Download transcript:
https://www.historicenvironment.scot/media/xkbdfui3/7_olga-transcription.docx (Word, 16kb)

Download the translation:
https://www.historicenvironment.scot/media/wbwmmalg/7_olga-translation.docx (Word, 15kb)

Olga – I Remember the Sea of Azov

Thaney's Haven was a series of workshops for women and girls’ groups led by writer Rebecca Sharp, to accompany her project Maiden Mother Mage.

Download the transcript of Shirin's track:
https://www.historicenvironment.scot/media/10ibnxha/shirin-transcription.docx (Word, 14kb)

Download the translation:
https://www.historicenvironment.scot/media/yc0lkwwt/shirin-translation.docx (Word, 16 kb)

Shirin

Thaney's Haven was a series of workshops for women and girls’ groups led by writer Rebecca Sharp, to accompany her project Maiden Mother Mage

Maryna - Being a Mother in Ukraine  

Download the transcript of Fahimeh's track:
https://www.historicenvironment.scot/media/a1caaczz/fahimeh-transcription.docx (Word, 14kb)

Download the translation:
https://www.historicenvironment.scot/media/tgkpd4n1/fahimeh-translation.docx (Word, 14 kb)

Fahimeh

Thaney's Haven was a series of workshops for women and girls’ groups led by writer Rebecca Sharp, to accompany her project Maiden Mother Mage.

Download the transcript of Ghamgin's track:
https://www.historicenvironment.scot/media/imrdmuzy/ghamgin-transcription.docx (Word, 15kb)

Download the translation:
https://www.historicenvironment.scot/media/bjfetcnx/ghamgin-translation.docx (Word, 14kb)

Ghamgin

Thaney's Haven was a series of workshops for women and girls’ groups led by writer Rebecca Sharp, to accompany her project Maiden Mother Mage

Download transcript of Gesya's track:
https://www.historicenvironment.scot/media/l1ammexi/gesya-transcription.docx (Word, 15kb)

Download the translation:
https://www.historicenvironment.scot/media/x0bjdbqc/gesya-translation.docx (Word, 14kb)

Gesya

Thaney's Haven was a series of workshops for women and girls’ groups led by writer Rebecca Sharp, to accompany her project Maiden Mother Mage

Download transcript of Dlnia's track:
https://www.historicenvironment.scot/media/3x3h01q5/dlnia-transcription.docx (Word, 14kb)

Download the translation:
https://www.historicenvironment.scot/media/nk1bc0jl/dlnia-translation.docx (Word, 14 kb)

Dlnia

Thaney's Haven was a series of workshops for women and girls’ groups led by writer Rebecca Sharp, to accompany her project Maiden Mother Mage.

Scarlett - My 11 Years

Download transcript: https://www.historicenvironment.scot/media/vlyph5t3/scarlett-transcription.docx (Word, 14 kb)

Scarlett - My 11 Years

Thaney's Haven was a series of workshops for women and girls’ groups led by writer Rebecca Sharp, to accompany her project Maiden Mother Mage

Lauren - The Next Chapter

Download the transcript:
https://www.historicenvironment.scot/media/huchqfqx/lauren-transcription.docx (Word, 14kb)

Lauren - The Next Chapter

Kitty Laurenson from Delting on the Shetland mainland discuss the origins of the Up Helly Aa festival in a recording from 1961. 

Recording © School of Scottish Studies, University of Edinburgh. Reproduced with kind permission as part of a blog post by Tobar an Dualchais.

Origins of Up Helly Aa

An extract of a recording of guizers singing ‘The Norseman’s Home’,  which was recorded at the Lerwick Up Helly Aa festival in 1982.

Recording © School of Scottish Studies, University of Edinburgh. Reproduced with kind permission for a guest post about the festival by Tobar an Dualchais.

The Norseman's Home - Extract

Flora MacCuish describes a còrdadh (traditional agreement made between a bride and groom a few weeks before their wedding in Gaelic-speaking communities)she attended in the 1920s.

Reproduced with kind permission of Tobar an Dualchais, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Isle of Skye

Flora MacCuish describes a còrdadh

Use our audio guide as you explore the magnificent Melrose Abbey.

A recording of religious music, written in about 1230 in St Andrews, to be enjoyed while admiring the inspirational architecture of Melrose Abbey.

The music was transcribed and arranged by James Cook, lecturer in early music at Edinburgh University, from the manuscript Wolfenbüttel, Herzog-August Bibliothek 628. It was performed by the Binchois Consort.

Vir Perfecte

Part of a psalm with a chant that is recited at the beginning of mass. ‘Terribilis est locus iste’ is the plainchant Introit for the dedication of a church. Its opening line can be translated as ‘awesome is this place’. Sung by the Binchois Consort.

Terribilis est locus iste

A snapshot of family living in Fort George's married quarters.

Family Life at Fort George

The St Andrew’s Psalter was compiled by Thomas Wode around 1564, and escaped destruction in the Reformation, unlike most other musical sources of the time. Glasgow Cathedral Choir sing ‘To Love the Lord’, a short catch from this important collection. The piece is a contrafactum, which involves setting new words to an existing tune, in this case a popular naval song; ‘To Portsmouth, to Portsmouth, it is a gallant town’

To Love the Lord by Thomas Wode

This is a setting of a hymn for St Mungo, used at Vespers on feasts celebrating a single confessor. This setting is by the Burgundian composer Dufay. It uses a technique, very common in Scotland, called Fauxbourdon, which is a seemingly-improvised technique for decorating plainchant.

Historic Environment Scotland

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