Discover the dramatic history of Kelso Abbey, once one of Scotland’s wealthiest medieval monasteries. In this episode of Hidden Histories of the Scottish Borders, we explore its origins under King David I, its powerful monastic community and its connections to nearby Roxburgh Castle.

Hear about the Wars of Independence, the coronation of James III and the devastating siege of 1545. Follow the abbey’s story through royal tragedy, border warfare and the Scottish Reformation. Explore the lives and events behind Kelso Abbey’s surviving ruins—and their place in the history of the Scottish Borders.

Music credits

Aurora and Cirrus both tracks by Scot Buckley

https://soundcloud.com/scottbuckley

Royalty Free Music by https://www.free-stock-music.com

Creative Commons / Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Additional clips, including the podcast theme, from Pixabay.com

In this episode of Hidden Histories of the Scottish Borders, we explore Castlehill Tower, which sits about 5 kilometres south west of Peebles.

Overlooking Manor Water, this ruined fifteenth-century tower house reveals a story of Border Reivers, beacon warnings and Covenanter connections. Discover the families who owned it, its formidable defences, and the unanswered questions surrounding its eventual abandonment.

Music credits: All music from https://pixabay.com

Hidden among the fields near Chirnside in the Scottish Borders, the ruins of Billie Castle conceal a fascinating history of medieval power struggles, English invasions and powerful Scottish families. In this episode of Hidden Histories of the Scottish Borders, we explore the castle's connections to the Dunbars, the Douglas Earls of Angus and the Rentons of Billie, including its role as a refuge for Archibald Douglas during his conflict with King James V in 1528.

Discover how Billie Castle suffered during the devastating Rough Wooing of the 1540s, why King James VI visited in 1596, and how the Renton family's marriage alliances connected this little-known Berwickshire stronghold to Alexander Leslie, Earl of Leven, a leading commander of the Scottish Covenanters. From medieval Border warfare to the religious upheavals of seventeenth-century Scotland, uncover the remarkable stories behind one of the Scottish Borders' forgotten castles.

Music credits

Omega | The Rise | Ascension | Falling Together | Bring Me The Sky

All tracks by Scott Buckley

https://soundcloud.com/scottbuckley

Royalty Free Music by https://www.free-stock-music.com

Creative Commons / Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Podcast theme from Pixabay.com