Mary Queen of Scots

Lanton Tower, Jedburgh

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Scotland has over 30,000 lochs but only one natural lake; the Lake of Menteith in the Trossachs region. There are many theories to account for this curious distinction.

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According to the historian Robert Stedall, the Queen is related to Mary Queen of Scots via Henry VII's sister Queen Margaret of Scotland.

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Author Thomas Harding. Picture Christian Jungeblodt/Iaif

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One of Mary Queen of Scots’ lesser known battles will be re-enacted at Banchory this Sunday

Clash of North East Clans: Mary Queen of Scots’ lesser known Aberdeenshire battl...

Mary, Queen Of Scots, played by Mirjam Nilsson, and Lord Darnley, played by Marc Tannahill, were married for less than two years (Picture: Scott Louden)

Time to re-open Scotland's coldest murder case, 456 years on?

Alan Steele as Falstaff and Sam Stopford as Prince Hal in Gordon Barr's version of Henry IV at 2023 Bard in the Botanics PIC: Tommy Ga-Ken Wan

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Linlithgow Palace has been closed since early last year after issues were detected with the safety of masonry at former pleasure palace of the Stuart monarchs. It will now re-open to the public on Saturday. PIC: HES.

Mary Queen of Scots' birthplace opens after climate change and vandalism woes

Malcolm Lochhead with his November 1990 Keeping Glasgow in Stitches banner

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Red spraypaint was used to deface the top of the James V fountain, which sits in the central courtyard of the palace. PIC: HES.

Linlithgow Palace sprayed with red graffiti in 'wanton' attack by vandals

More than 50 previously undiscovered letters written by Mary Queen of Scots have been deciphered by a team of codebreakers with the secret correspondece detailing her struggles in captivity. PIC: Contributed.

'Lost' letters written by Mary Queen of Scots deciphered by codebreakers

Letters written by Mary Queen of Scots while she was in captivity have been found and decoded - more than 430 years after the former Queen of Scotland wrote them.

Mary Queen of Scots secret letters decoded after 430 years

Dots Obsession by Yayoi Kusama, part of the Flesh Arranges Itself Differently show at the Hunterian PIC: John Devlin / The Scotsman

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Myres Castle is up for sale with a price tag of £3.5m

Historic Fife castle up for sale with £3.5m price tag

Nicola Sturgeon, John Swinney and their Cabinet colleagues seem only to offer ineptitude and empty promises (Picture: Jane Barlow/PA)

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Dr Anna Groundwater, principal Curator at the the National Museum Scotland, with a rare French silver casket believed to have belonged to Mary Queen of Scots. Picture: Stewart Attwood

Silver casket linked to downfall of Mary Queen of Scots secured for the nation

Lily, Maria, Poppy and Lucy from Blackwood Primary School test out a new bridge at Loch Wood during the official opening event. Picture: Ian Georgeson

Woodland with links to Robert Burns and Mary Queen of Scots reopens

Saoirse Ronan as Mary Stuart in a scene from the film Mary Queen of Scots (Picture: Liam Daniel/Focus Features via AP)

Mary Queen of Scots used textiles to convey political messages – Laura Waddell

Visitors can meet Mary King in (Her) story tours

Mary King's Close create first women's history tours

Glenfinnan Viaduct

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There's plenty of options for family-friendly days out during the mid-term break.

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The letter, which features the handwriting of Mary Queen of Scots.

'Rare' letter written by Mary Queen of Scots sells for £32,500 at auction

Cathy Marsden of Lyon & Turnbull with a letter featuring the handwriting of Mary Queen of Scots that is being sold by the auction house next month. Photo: Stewart Attwood/Lyon & Turnbull/PA Wire

Letter written by Mary Queen of Scots to French ambassador up for sale

Beth Malcolm PIC: Graeme Rogers

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Dennis the Menace and Mary Queen of Scots paid a visit with eight-year-old Rocco Cesari and five-year-old Francesca Cesari to Luke Winter of the Story Wagon – a touring space offering creative writing, traditional storytelling and story sharing activities – at The Kelpies in Falkirk to launch Scotland's Year of Stories. Picture: VisitScotland/Chris Watt

Centuries of Scottish stories to be showcased in year-long culture celebration

The piece of embroidered bed curtain said to have been stitched by Mary Queen of Scots. PIC: Contributed.

Piece of embroidery 'stitched by Mary Queen of Scots' comes up at auction

Parts of Winton Castle near Edinburgh date to the 15th Century with a Renaissance-style palace later created. PIC: Al James/CC

Owning a castle is hard work warns East Lothian Baronet

Queen of Scotland and of France, in mourning dress, from painting by François Clouet, 16th century (Photo: Gianni Dagli Orti/Shutterstock).

Most UK residents 'cannot recognise Scotland's most famous queen'

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Brucefield owner Victoria Bruce-Winkler, a biologist who inherited the property from her mother in 2012, is passionate about regenerating the estate for a new generation

Scottish estate with links to Mary Queen of Scots opens for sleepovers

A 17th Century iron collar from Fife used as an instrument of torture on those accused of witchcraft. It has been used to illustrate the case of a woman accused of being a lesbian, with the authorities later treating her as a witch.PIC: NMS.

Hidden gay histories of national collection treasures revealed

Over its 30-year lifespan Kype Muir wind farm is expected to pay out more than £100 million in community benefits while generating up to 155 megawatts of electricity each year – enough to power more than 110,000 homes or a city the size of Aberdeen

Ancient woodland linked to Robert Burns transformed after community buyout

Bloody Mary

Edinburgh Dungeon relaunches Cursed Crown experience, and we take the family.

Steeped in history, Andrew Greig, author of Rose Nicolson

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The carving shows a much smaller figure complete with gash wound and hanging entrails and is believed to be the assasin of the abbot. PIC: HES.

13th Century carving records 'abbot's assassination' at Scottish abbey

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex reportedly refused the Earl of Dumbarton title for Archie (Getty Images/Shutterstock)

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Stunning and historic: Fa'side Castle

No stag parties but glamping pods get go-ahead near East Lothian battle site

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St Margaret

The arrival of Edinburgh Wax Museum rekindles Capital’s love of effigies

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Mystery of the child's bones hidden in Edinburgh Castle walls - Part 1

Edinburgh Castle

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The palace courtyard at Edinburgh Castle

Mystery of the child's bones hidden in Edinburgh Castle walls – Part 2

Guy Fawkes effigies are traditionally lit on Bonfire Night to celebrate the foiled Gunpowder Plot (Shutterstock)

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The Old Ancrum Bridge was found beneath the River Teviot and is now known to date to the 14th Century.

Lost medieval bridge that transported kings and queens re-emerges from the water

Frank Skinner (a huge Johnson fan), and Scottish novelist Denise Mina will re-trace Johnson and Boswell's journey

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Picture: Savills

'Haunted' Scottish castle with links to Robert the Bruce still for sale

The Climate Change Tree - nominated by Chris Knapman - is a remarkable sycamore situated at Gartmorn Dam, near Alloa, within a post-industrial landscape.

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The prayer book gifted to Mary Queen of Scots is expected to fetch between £250,000 - £300,000 when it goes up for auction in July. PIC: Christie's Images Ltd 2020.

Mary Queen of Scots' prayer book goes up for auction

Mary of Guise, portrayed at Linlithgow Museum, spoke in her native French to Scots and English nobles so both could understand her as they would have struggled to communicate using Scots and English (Picture: Graham Hamilton)

Scots is a language, not an accent or 'bad' English – Kenny MacAskill

Abbey Strand's colourful history has been entwined with its connections to royalty, including James V and his daughter Mary Queen of Scots.

New chapter for a very royal - and once very rough - historic Edinburgh property

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Scotland has failed to meet its latest target for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, the latest official figures show. Picture: John Giles/PA Wire

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Pro-independence protesters with Scottish Saltire flags (top) march for Scottish independence. Picture: Andy Buchanan/AFP via Getty Images

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