The Boy, the Witch & the Queen of Scots by Barbara Henderson ~ Blog Tour & Guest Post

Barbara Henderson has an incredible talent for combining fascinanting aspects of Scottish history with compelling characters and a thrilling story. The Boy, the Witch & the Queen of Scots takes us deep into the politics and religion of 16th century Scotland. Starting at the Port of Leith and through Edinburgh then travelling north, readers expereince Protestant vs Catholic beliefs and the treachery that threatened the young Queen when she first arrived from France to take her place as the ruler of Scotland.

Alexander Buchan has a passion for falconry and caring for birds – in fact, he’s much better with birds than with people. When he’s sent from his home in the north to the bustling city of Edinburgh under the pretense of delivering a pair of birds to Holyrood Castle, he really doesn’t know if he has what it takes to spy on the Queen as his master commanded. He’d much rather stay out of it all and avoid being noticed.

Through events beyond his control, Alexander finds favour with the Queen and becomes a part of her household. Suddenly, his life is full of secrets, threats to his own safety and plots to kill the Queen. Alexander’s conscience weighs heavy as he grows fond of the Queen and his life in her employ. Dare he risk going against those who seek to harm her? Where does his loyalty lie?

The Boy, the Witch & the Queen of Scots is packed full of historical facts and period details. Readers are able to explore the difference between Scotland and England, as well as the differences between the north and south of Scotland at the time. A glossary, timeline, key people & places and reader discussion notes add so much to the reader’s experience. Barbara Henderson has also prepared a set of Teaching Resources that can be accessed here: http://www.barbarahenderson.co.uk/resources/

The autheticity of the setting decriptions in The Boy, the Witch and the Queen of Scots are a part of what make this book so special. I’m so happy to welcome author Barbara Henderson to my blog with a guest post about her research.

Settings in The Boy, the Witch and the Queen of Scots by Barbara Henderson

The Boy, the Witch and the Queen of Scots is set in 1561 – Renaissance Scotland. That in itself is a pretty compelling backdrop for a story, but time is only half of what a great setting is, isn’t it? The places! THE PLACES!

I fell in love with Edinburgh’s old town as soon as I arrived as a student – of that I am sure among the misty memories of 1991. The cobbles, the old buildings, the cathedral, the sense of time falling away as soon as darkness settled.

It was a pleasure and a privilege to return to my student haunts in my story. Edinburgh is where my young protagonists spend most of their time in The Boy, the Witch and the Queen of Scots – mainly due to the presence of a newly arrived Queen.

1. Leith

My protagonist Alexander has fled to Leith to avoid his mission, having to spy on the Queen – but it would seem that fate has played a cruel trick on him. The harbour is hung thick with fog, and he witnesses two galleys pulling in, their bright colours muted by the weather. A cannon shot alerts him, and everyone else, to the arrival of Queen Mary from France. The very person he tried to avoid, and she immediately singles him out.

In August 1562, Mary Queen of Scots really did arrive so unexpectedly early that the Palace of Holyroodhouse was not ready yet – instead she was led to take shelter at the house of a Leith-based Merchant named Andrew Lamb. According to the records, she ‘remainit in Andro Lamb`s hous beit the space of ane hour’.

2. The Palace of Holyroodhouse

The Palace is an awe-inspiring set of buildings beneath Arthur’s Seat and the Salisbury Crags, with the windswept expanse of Holyrood Park stretching towards the sea. It still is a fitting residence for a monarch, and when the King visits Edinburgh, this is his residence. Of course, Mary Queen of Scots’ years here were eventful and often traumatic. I loved my research visits here – not just the meander through the state rooms, but particularly treading the paths of the servants. This is where my characters may have eavesdropped. This is where they would have gone about their errands or hidden from sight.

3. Stirling Castle

One of the most exciting aspects of writing my story was the progresses Mary goes on – both to show herself as Queen across her kingdom and to allow much needed maintenance and cleaning at Holyrood. One of my most dramatic scenes takes place at Stirling Castle. I visited again recently – there is just so much to do and to see at Stirling, and I loved the costumed guides and actors. I thoroughly recommend a visit!

4. Huntly Castle

Too often, Mary is only associated with the Central Belt of Scotland: Edinburgh, or her birthplace Linlithgow, or Stirling. As a highlander, I was particularly interested in the fact that she travelled north too, to Aberdeen, across to Inverness and back again, before confronting her adversary the Earl of Huntly at Corrichie in Aberdeenshire. The Earl was known as the ‘Cock o’ the North’ and Huntly Castle was his residence. It is also my main character Alexander’s home. I can’t wait to launch the book at Huntly Castle with an invited school audience – I hear there may even be a falconry display! It is an atmospheric ruin, but despite Mary snubbing the Earl’s invitation and never visiting (probably wise – he was up to no good, most scholars think), it played a crucial role in the early part of her reign.

5. Inverness Castle

Inverness is my hometown – how could I not include the dramatic events which took place just minutes from my house? The castle commander, a relative of the Earl of Huntly, refused Mary Queen of Scots entry – a decision which would cost him his life. The furious Mary returned to Aberdeenshire to clip the wings of the ‘Cock o’ the North’ once and for all after that. It seems that Mary was taken with the Highland Clans, particularly Clan Fraser who escorted her back part of the way for her safety. The castle that now stands on the hill overlooking the River Ness is a much later construction, but a castle has stood in this spot since the year 1057.

I do feature other locations in the book, too, but these are the principal ones – and the best part is that it is still possible to visit many of the buildings, streets and locations Mary would have been familiar with.

Why not take a trip and see for yourself?

Discover more of Barbara Henderson’s writing with Rivet Boy.