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.
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Episodes
Monday Oct 13, 2025
Monday Oct 13, 2025
James & Murdo are joined this week by a special guest, author, historian & Secretary of the Scottish Covenanters Memorial Association, Dane Love. Dane will be talking about his interest in the Covenanters and the work that the SCMA does in keeping their memory alive.
Monday Oct 06, 2025
Monday Oct 06, 2025
Which Royal Palace will emerge as the most significant in Scottish history? Join Murdo & James as they conclude our journey through the Scottish Royal Palace World Cup, where the winner will be decided by you, the listeners!
Monday Sep 29, 2025
Monday Sep 29, 2025
What is the most significant Royal Palace in Scottish History? Join Murdo & James navigate through the Scottish Royal Palace World Cup! This episode is the first of a two-part series, focusing on the quarter-finals. Our contenders are Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood Palace, Linlithgow Palace, Falkland Palace, Stirling Castle, Perth Castle, Balmoral Castle, and Dunfermline Palace!
This is the event we’ve all been waiting for. Join Murdo and James as they explore the drama, history, and scandals within the walls of these royal palaces that have shaped Scotland’s story.
Who shall emerge victorious? Listen to find out!
Monday Sep 22, 2025
Monday Sep 22, 2025
In this episode of A Thistle with Thorns, Murdo & James trace the Royal Family’s Scottish ancestry: from the Stewart dynasty to the Glorious Revolution, the Act of Settlement, and the Act of Security. Discover just how Scottish the modern British monarchy really is.
👉 If you enjoy this episode, subscribe to the podcast and leave a comment with your thoughts. It helps more people discover Scottish history. Thanks for listening!
Monday Sep 15, 2025
Monday Sep 15, 2025
The later Covenanter period saw the rise to prominence of the radical preacher and political revolutionary Richard Cameron, who despite his brief career and early death achieved legendary status. How did someone who declared war on the King end up having a famous British Army regiment named in his honour? Find out when James and Murdo explore the short life of Cameron, Lion of the Covenant.
Monday Sep 08, 2025
Monday Sep 08, 2025
It is 1666, and the rule of Charles II is characterised by increasing oppression of the Covenanters. A reaction is inevitable, and it comes in the form of an armed uprising which seizes Dumfries and marches on Edinburgh. The Royalist General Tam Dalyell breaks off his card games with the devil to meet the rebels in battle at Rullion Green. Join James and Murdo for the thrilling and tragic story of the Pentland Rising.
Monday Sep 01, 2025
Monday Sep 01, 2025
This week James and Murdo discuss the history of Clan Cameron, with special guest Donald, Lord Cameron of Locheil, 28th Chief of the clan. The Camerons were the staunchest of Stuart supporters and firm Jacobites, but at what cost did this loyalty come? And why is the clan seat at Achnacarry so significant in WW2 history?
Monday Aug 25, 2025
Monday Aug 25, 2025
A letter, in Mary’s own hand, condemned her. It seemed to prove she had sanctioned the assassination of Queen Elizabeth I, the final piece Walsingham needed to bring her to trial. In the shadowed corridors of Elizabeth’s court, arguments flared: Cecil and Walsingham pressed for swift execution, while the Queen herself hesitated, paralysed by the thought of killing a fellow monarch. Yet the verdict came, and the scaffold was built. In this final episode of our Mary, Queen of Scots series, Murdo and James uncover the fierce debates within the English court, the deadly politics of the trial, and Mary’s defiant preparation for death as a Catholic martyr. This is the story of her final judgement, and the fall of the axe.
Monday Aug 18, 2025
Monday Aug 18, 2025
Trapped in England, Mary, Queen of Scots refused to fade into the shadows. Instead, she wove a web of escape plots that reached from secret cells to the halls of Catholic kings, Florentine bankers, and even the Pope himself. But in the smoky backrooms of Elizabeth’s court, Cecil and Walsingham were already watching, intercepting letters, turning allies, and staying one step ahead. How did England’s spies always seem to know Mary’s next move? And how close did she really come to freedom? Murdo and James unravel the cloak-and-dagger world of plots, spies, and betrayal in this episode of A Thistle with Thorns.
Monday Aug 11, 2025
Monday Aug 11, 2025
Europe was in turmoil during Mary, Queen of Scots’ long captivity. The Protestant Reformation and Catholic Counter-Reformation were tearing nations apart. Alliances shifted. Wars flared. Crowns toppled. Mary, Queen of Scots, former Queen of France, and a Catholic claimant to the English throne, became a potent symbol: a rallying point for Catholic hopes and a threat to Protestant regimes. Though locked away, her name stirred rebellions and haunted monarchs.
In this episode, we explore how Mary’s fate was shaped not just by her choices, but by the sweeping geopolitical forces of 16th-century Europe. Was she a pawn, a player, or something in between? Tune in to find out!