A Thistle with Thorns
The podcast for all things Scottish history! Murdo Fraser and James Bundy are here to shine a light on Scotland’s rich and often forgotten history. Murdo Fraser has been Scottish Conservative MSP for Mid-Scotland & Fife since 2001, and is the Party spokesman on Business, Economy, Tourism and Culture. Brought up on tales of the Covenanters and the novels of Walter Scott and Nigel Tranter, he has always had a keen interest in Scottish history, and now writes and gives talks on the 17th century. His account of the 1st Marquis of Montrose and the Marquis of Argyll, The Rivals, was published by Birlinn in 2015. James Bundy is a Councillor for Falkirk North with a passion for Scottish history, politics, and public policy. He holds an MA in Economics and International Relations from the University of St Andrews, where his dissertation explored Just War Theory within the British Constitution, examining the 17th-century relationship between Church and state and its relevance today. James has been published on the Stuart Kings and has experience working in both Holyrood and Westminster, giving him a deep understanding of governance. He also leads the BE FAST campaign, working to improve stroke awareness across Scotland. With a keen interest in how Scotland’s past shapes its present, James is dedicated to preserving and promoting the nation’s rich history.
Listen on:
Episodes
2 days ago
2 days ago
In this episode of A Thistle with Thorns, Murdo and James continue their mini-series on the 1st Jacobite rising. King James has won a significant victory at Killiecrankie, but his army now faces the Cameronians holding the town of Dunkeld. Join them as they reveal what happens next.
Monday May 12, 2025
Monday May 12, 2025
As a follow-on to the last episode on the Glorious Revolution, we are starting a mini-series on the first Jacobite Rising and its aftermath. First up: The Battle of Killiecrankie: Scotland v England, Highlander v Lowlander, or Father v Daughter & Son-in-law? Join James & Murdo as they discuss the famous battle of 1689.
Monday May 05, 2025
Monday May 05, 2025
In this episode of A Thistle with Thorns, Murdo Fraser and James Bundy discuss the events of 1688, and how James VII & II was deposed and replaced by William & Mary. How was this regime change viewed here?
Monday Apr 28, 2025
Monday Apr 28, 2025
Possibly the greatest military campaign in Scottish history was that of the 1st Marquis of Montrose on behalf of King Charles I, winning 6 spectacular victories in just 12 months. In the latest episode of A Thistle with Thorns, Murdo Fraser and James Bundy discuss Montrose’s Annus Mirrabilis - listen here!
Monday Apr 21, 2025
Monday Apr 21, 2025
In this episode, Murdo & James explore Oliver Cromwell’s complex and often conflicted relationship with the Scots during his fateful campaign north of the border. Far from viewing Scotland as just another military front, Cromwell wrestled with the idea that the Scottish Covenanters were a godly people — misguided, perhaps, but not his true enemies. And yet, it was their religious and political alliance with Charles II that brought them into direct confrontation. Join Murdo & James as they examine Cromwell not just as a general or a politician, but as a man wrestling with the challenge of fighting a people he hoped to persuade.
Monday Apr 14, 2025
Monday Apr 14, 2025
The drowning of the 'two Margarets' in the Solway in 1685 for their adherence to the Covenants and Presbyterianism is one of the most shocking incidents in what became known as The Killing Times. But did the Wigtown Martyrs really meet this gruesome fate? James Bundy and Murdo Fraser examine the evidence in the latest episode of A Thistle With Thorns.
Monday Apr 07, 2025
Monday Apr 07, 2025
King Charles 1st was born in Dunfermline, but enjoyed a difficult relationship with his native land. In this episode, James Bundy and Murdo Fraser discuss Charles and Scotland - why did it go so wrong?
Sunday Mar 30, 2025
Sunday Mar 30, 2025
On 3rd May 1679, James Sharp, Archbishop of St Andrews, was dragged from his coach and brutally murdered by nine assassins. What did he do to deserve this fate, and did he have it coming?
James Bundy and Murdo Fraser discuss in episode of A Thistle with Thorns.