From Issue Ten of Hidden Scotland Magazine

People of the Past who Shaped Scotland Today

The people behind Scotland’s history, not only its places.

Words by Beth Reid · Photographs by Simon Hird

Printed in Issue Ten of Hidden Scotland Magazine, Spring and Summer 2025.

Scotland’s history is often viewed through dramatic events and iconic locations. From the crumbling ruins of castles and the remnants of cathedrals, to battlefields and standing stones, Scotland’s built heritage is synonymous with the watershed moments that rocked the centuries. However, at the centre of this, we find people.

There is no Scottish history without people. It was people who decided the course of a kingdom, who influenced religious reform, who made unthinkable sacrifices, who achieved great victories and suffered terrible losses. To understand and appreciate Scotland’s history a little better, let us turn to the people.

Queen/Saint Margaret

In 1070, Malcolm III married Margaret, the refugee princess of Wessex. She would become one of the most important female figures from Scottish history.

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