Executive body safeguarding Scotland’s historic environment
Archaeologists have identified Skeleton 150 as the first confirmed trebuchet casualty from Stirling Castle’s 1304 siege. The victim’s skull fractures and shoulder injury point to a rapid, high-energy impact from a counterweight trebuchet. The skeleton’s placement under the chapel floor corroborates battlefield death during the English siege.
The Melrose Triangle site in West Hollywood has a new development plan replacing hundreds of thousands of square feet of offices with 282 apartments, including 66 affordable units for seniors, plus nearly 100,000 square feet of retail and restaurants, three underground parking levels, and a central open-air courtyard. The plan envisions a pedestrian-friendly, multi-building campus with a mix of one- and two-bedroom units and a substantial open space program. The project previously emphasized office space but has stalled amid legal and market headwinds.
Fifteen towns have been shortlisted from nearly 400 applications to become the UK Town of Culture 2028. Each shortlisted town will receive £60,000 to develop full bids, with the winner receiving £3 million to host a year‑long cultural programme in 2028; runners‑up receive £250,000 each. The shortlist includes Ilfracombe, Isle of Bute, Lerwick, Sandown, Strabane, Stockton Town Centre Ward, Corby, Great Yarmouth, Leith, Pontypridd, Port Talbot, Basildon, Birkenhead, Grimsby and Rotherham. The decision will be made by an independent panel early next year.
Since 1949, unmarried mothers were pressured into giving up babies; leaders have apologized and survivors demand meaningful reparations, mental health support, and access to records as the policy legacy endures.
The Scotsman reports that a mother alleges repeated failures in her son James's care, culminating in his death after multiple placements and limited contact with family. The Guardian covers survivors of forced adoption and their calls for redress, with personal testimonies about loss and ongoing trauma. Letters reflect continued debate over adoption policies.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and partners have extended a very high wildfire risk warning in central Highlands, southern, and eastern Scotland. Fire crews remain at multiple sites, including the Cairngorms and Arthur’s Seat, as temperatures stay hot and dry. The alert is in effect into the week, with officials urging the public to avoid outdoor fires and to stay vigilant.