Scottish Culture and History

Below are links to some of the articles on Scottish history and culture from our sister site Historic UK www.historic-uk.com.

Follow the links below to find out a little more about Scotland, its history, culture and people.

New Year's Eve Celebrations in Scotland: Hogmanay
Only one nation in the world can celebrate the New Year or Hogmanay with such revelry and passion – the Scots!  But what are the actual origins of Hogmanay, and why should a tall dark stranger be a welcome visitor after midnight?

Haggis, Scotland's national dish
What actually is a haggis? Some furry four legged creature or....

The Piob Mhor, or the Great Highland Bagpipes
Nothing defines the sound of Scotland quite like the great Highland bagpipes....

Scottish Shortbread
Scottish Shortbread, beautifully gift-wrapped or presented in tartan boxes, is one of the most popular souvenirs to bring home after a visit to Scotland.....

The Loch Ness Monster   The first recorded account of 'Nessie' is that of an eyeball to eyeball confrontation with the Irish saint, St. Columba in the 6th century.......

Highland Dancing
Perhaps nothing captures the spirit of Scottish culture better than the sight of Highland dancing being performed at some Highland gathering in some far flung corner of the world. Whilst the majority of dancers now entered into these competitions are female, the roots of these ritualistic dances lay with warriors imitating epic deeds from Scottish folklore.......

The Secret of a Scotsman's Sporran
An essential piece of Highland dress to accompany a Scotsman’s kilt is the ornately decorated pouch that hangs down the front, commonly referred to as the sporran. But were did the sporran originate and what was its purpose?

Flower of Scotland ....or God Save the King?  Ever wondered why Scottish folk prefer to sing the words to the recently written Flower of Scotland rather than the traditional national anthem God Save the King? Could it have something to do with the little known sixth verse of the traditional anthem …?

The Royal and Ancient Game of Golf  
During the 15th century, Scotland prepared to defend itself, yet again, against an invasion by the ‘Auld Enemy’. The nation's enthusiastic pursuit of golf however, led many to neglect their military training, so much so that the Scottish parliament of King James II banned the sport in 1457.......

The Symbol of the Clan   Accounts from travellers to Scotland dating back several hundred years record the wearing of Tartan by its inhabitants.......

A wee dram of uisege beatha?  No visit to Scotland would be complete without sampling a ‘wee dram’ of uisge beatha or ‘the water of life’ …the name given by the ancient Celts to the fiery amber nectar we now call Scotch whisky.... 

The Highland Clans The word "clann" comes from the Gaelic and means children, and its members claimed kinship from the common ancestor whose name they bore. In the 17th century the chief of the clan was both a gentleman and a barbarian..... 

The Thistle - National Emblem of Scotland Common throughout the highlands, islands and lowlands of Scotland, the prickly purple thistle has been Scotland's national emblem for centuries. There are several different legends that tell how the thistle became Scotland's symbol.....

The 'Honours' of Scotland  The story of the Scottish regalia is stranger than fiction.....