Scotland Unplugged

Scotland Unplugged Follow my travels and mission to discover Scotland's hidden past, people, stories and scenery.
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22/02/2024

Tartan History - How far back does it go?

The birthplace of modern tartan - Buried beneath a quiet park in Bannockburn are the remains of William Wilson and Sons’ mills, arguably the place that gave us the modern tartan industry.

This is the story of early tartan and how a family business reinvented and expanded the tartan world.

I’ll be live on over YouTube at 8pm tonight (GMT). Come along and ask me anything you like!
20/02/2024

I’ll be live on over YouTube at 8pm tonight (GMT). Come along and ask me anything you like!

Delighted to be YouTube’s featured “creator on the rise” today. A massive thank you to everyone to everyone for watching...
14/02/2024

Delighted to be YouTube’s featured “creator on the rise” today.

A massive thank you to everyone to everyone for watching, and for the level of support I’ve had over the last few months.

You all got me here.

Nae pressure 😂😳😅🎉

13/02/2024

Alexander Peden - outlawed preacher on the run

The story of Alexander Peden, a leading 17th century Covenanter who spent 17 years of his life preaching as a wanted man.

A trip to Peden's Cove, near Failford in Ayrshire, a pulpit carved out of the rock, where Alexander Peden is said to have preached to his congregation across a river.

Alexander Peden was a Presbyterian Minister the was ejected from his parish by an act of parliament and forced to live on the run.

Links to Covenanter videos:

https://fb.watch/qatoCqLMrM/

https://fb.watch/qauRMLea_4/

I’m on the BBC news website this morning, talking about the comedy days and Kevin Bridges’ barnstorming first gig 20 yea...
09/02/2024

I’m on the BBC news website this morning, talking about the comedy days and Kevin Bridges’ barnstorming first gig 20 years ago 😭😂👏

Still feels like last week… 😳

It's exactly 20 years since the teenager from Clydebank performed his first stand-up gig.

Time flies. This was the first Scotland Unplugged video, four years ago and I can still feel the chill (felt awesome tho...
08/02/2024

Time flies. This was the first Scotland Unplugged video, four years ago and I can still feel the chill (felt awesome though). Hats off to and anyone else who does this regularly 🥶💪😄 About to embrace the cold -

My eldest was at school today and the teacher was talking about Mary, Queen of Scots. Then she showed them a YouTube vid...
06/02/2024

My eldest was at school today and the teacher was talking about Mary, Queen of Scots.

Then she showed them a YouTube video by “a very Scottish man.”

Number 1 son put his hand up and said “that’s my dad.”

Think I need those ellocution lesssons 😂😂😂

05/02/2024

Scottish history's biggest bad*ss? The legend of Agnes Randolph, Countess of Dunbar, known as "Black Agnes."

When the Earl of Salisbury laid siege to Dunbar Castle in January 1338, while Agnes's husband, the Earl of Dunbar was away fighting, he got more than he bargained for.

This is the story of how Agnes held off Salisbury's army for five months, with grit, ingenuity and a relentless sense of humour.

Running at the end of this month, with a few spaces left. This is the course that really got me into writing (and ultima...
05/02/2024

Running at the end of this month, with a few spaces left.

This is the course that really got me into writing (and ultimately, making dark videos about Scottish history).

If you want to write a crime novel, or improve a work in process, or find out how to sell your novel, I can't recommend this highly enough.

Not only will delegates be taught some of the essential writing skills necessary to produce a novel, they will receive tips and advice on editing, goal setting, preparing to pitch their novel to an agent or publisher and they will be given a unique opportunity to have a five minute pitch session t...

And exhale… what a game. Well done Scotland (and Wales)  😳😅🤯
03/02/2024

And exhale… what a game. Well done Scotland (and Wales) 😳😅🤯

29/01/2024

Stealing Burns' skull.

Why did six men steal Robert Burns' skull?

Robert Burns, Scotland’s national bard is a misunderstood figure in many ways.

Who was Burns? Where did he come from? Where is Burns buried? How did he really die?

And why did six men break into his mausoleum one night in 1834 and steal his skull?

27/01/2024

My brother on the telly talking about his work 👏👏👏

Off to air the work in progress at the Burns Night edition of Noir At the Bar, Edinburgh. Looking forward to it as alway...
25/01/2024

Off to air the work in progress at the Burns Night edition of Noir At the Bar, Edinburgh. Looking forward to it as always! 😅

Don't miss our FREE Noir At the Bar, Edinburgh at the Bar Special! Canons' Gait Pub EH8 8DQ
Thurs 25th Jan
6.00 for 6.30pm start.
Readings from:
Harry Fisher Writer
DV Bishop
Rosie Walker
Claire Duffy
JL Durnie
Jess Faraday
Andrew James Greig
Elza Lang
Robert Parker
Ian Murphy

🕵🏾‍♂️📚🕵🏾‍♂️📚🕵🏾‍♂️

23/01/2024

Tam o' Shanter, by Robert Burns

Robert Burns’ horror epic, Tam o’ Shanter, with English subtitles and images; including Alexander Goudie’s paintings based on the poem.

Image credits - South Ayrshire Council.

Filmed in Alloway, South Ayrshire.

Written in 1790, in a day, Tam O’ Shanter tells the story of a wayward farmer, journeying home from the pub after a night out and encountering a gathering of witches and warlocks in Alloway’s Auld Kirk.

15/01/2024

The Great Tartan Con - How The Sobieski Stuarts fooled the tartan world

Two brothers - "John Sobieski Stuart" and "Charles Edward Stuart" - convinced 19th century high society that they were the long lost heirs to the Stuart dynasty.

The brothers, John Carter Allen and Charles Manning Allen invented histories and tartans. Their scam led the brothers to a life of luxury, living as royals in the highlands and even holding court.

Looking forward to catching this in ITVX next week James Parker Sculpture. 👏🍎🍐
13/01/2024

Looking forward to catching this in ITVX next week James Parker Sculpture. 👏🍎🍐

Tonight's Border Life (ITV 1 in Border region, 7pm) features the stunning craftwork of Galloway boy James Parker Sculpture... We find out how he started making his eye-catching works and why he's taken Chelsea Flower Show by storm.

The whole episode has something of an artistic feel, as Sandy McCracken ITV visits a cracking gallery and meets an artist inspired by the natural world.

Hope you can join us tonight! The programme will be on ITVX from next week (I'll try to remember to post a link).

As always, would love to hear what you think and do drop me a DM if you have a story from D&G or the Scottish Borders which you think we should feature! :)

The Thistle Chapel sits in a dark corner of St Giles Cathedral. It was designed by the architect Robert Lorimer, in the ...
11/01/2024

The Thistle Chapel sits in a dark corner of St Giles Cathedral.

It was designed by the architect Robert Lorimer, in the Neo Gothic style and completed in 1911 as a ceremonial home for the knights of the Order of the Thistle, founded by James the 7th in 1687.

The chapel features intricate wood carvings from the workshops of James Grieve. These include three angels with bagpipes, seating for the knights and the the coats of arms of past and present members of the order.

08/01/2024

The Mystery of "The White Lady of Baldoon" (The Real Lucia Di Lammermoor)

On the 12th of August 1669, Janet Dalrymple was forced to marry against her will. What happened next left a mystery that would inspire a Walter Scott novel, a Donizetti opera several paintings and an enduring ghost story.

Walter Scott wrote The Bride of Lammermoor, which in turn inspired Donizetti to write his opera, Lucia Di Lammermoor.

03/01/2024

The sheep that saved the world!

The view from this morning’s exertions
01/01/2024

The view from this morning’s exertions

31/12/2023

Hogmanay is a a big part of Scottish culture. For many in Scotland it is the biggest event of the year.

But what is the history of Hogmanay? Why is it called Hogmanay? And what are the traditions and superstitions surrounding the holiday?

23/12/2023

The Galloway Christmas story of "The Yule Beggar" is thought to date back to the 1500s and the town of Castle Douglas.

An ancient Galloway tradition says St Ninian, or St Ringan, returns on Christmas Eve each year to help those in need.

People would make offerings to the saint in hopes of his help.

22/12/2023

Discover some of the amazing ancient sites in Scotland that are associated with celebrating Midwinter and the Winter Solstice

17/12/2023

When Scotland BANNED Christmas

The festival of Yule is thought to have come to Scotland with the Vikings. Over time this slowly became linked to Christmas.

From the 16th century, during The Scottish Reformation, Christmas was repeatedly banned by the church and by parliament.

Amazingly, Christmas wasn't a public holiday in Scotland until 1958.

Why did the church feel the need to ban Christmas in Scotland? How did it lead Hogmanay to become the country's main winter celebration? And how did Christmas make its big comeback?


11/12/2023

Meet Scotland's free roaming reindeer herd.

The Cairngorms National Park is home to the Cairngorm Reindeer Herd; the only free ranging herd in the UK.

I set out on a trip to explore the Snow Roads; a scenic route through the Cairngorms National Park. Then I went looking for reindeer.

We've been blown away by the response to the merch going live. It's great to see the designs we came up with selling, an...
04/12/2023

We've been blown away by the response to the merch going live. It's great to see the designs we came up with selling, and my modelling career seems to be going well. Thank you to everyone who has ordered from our site and to everyone who shared the competition posts.

If anyone is planing on ordering anything before Christmas, the last date to ensure delivery is the 5th of December for anyone beyond the UK.

For orders in the UK, the latest order date is the 13th of December.

http://scotlandunplugged.myshopify.com

04/12/2023

Who were the real life inspirations for Charles Dickens' Ebenezer Scrooge?

How did a misread inscription on a gravestone in Edinburgh's Canongate Kirkyard inspire Charles Dickens to write A Christmas Carol?

And who was the real-life miser, credited with inspiring the man character?

Charles Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol in 6 weeks in 1843. The novella was an instant bestseller and has never been out of print since.

This is the story of Ebenezer Scroggie and John Elwes, and their curious places in literary history.

This doesn’t look good. Apologies all. Tonight’s video will be delayed a bit… 🤯
03/12/2023

This doesn’t look good. Apologies all. Tonight’s video will be delayed a bit… 🤯

Dropped in to see Als Couzens Designs when I was filming in the Grassmarket earlier today, and left with a very cool (ve...
02/12/2023

Dropped in to see Als Couzens Designs when I was filming in the Grassmarket earlier today, and left with a very cool (very fluffy) tea towel. Delighted with this. You can take the boy off the farm… Thanks Als.

Aurora Borealis in the wild. Had to go to Porty 3 times to catch them, but worth it… even at 1am.
02/12/2023

Aurora Borealis in the wild. Had to go to Porty 3 times to catch them, but worth it… even at 1am.

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