On the Trail of Mary, Queen of Scots : A Visitor's Guide to the Castles, Palaces and Houses Associated with the Life of Mary, Queen of Scots

Mary, Queen of Scots is one of the great tragic figures of British history. Born in Scotland one December morning in 1542, she was to become Queen of Scots just six days later. Growing up mostly in France and marrying the sickly French king Francis II in 1559, she returned to Scotland on his death, a widow at the age of eighteen. Four years later she married Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, but their miserable union ended with his murder and her subsequent marriage to his alleged killer, the Earl of Bothwell.Forced by rebellion to flee south to England, she was confined by her cousin Queen Elizabeth I in various manor houses and castles before, eighteen years later, being executed on her cousin's orders.On the Trail of Mary, Queen of Scots takes the reader on a journey through the landscape of Mary's time. In her footsteps we will visit resplendent castles, towering cathedrals, manor homes, chapels and ruins associated with Mary. Each location is brought to life through an engaging narrative and a collection of photographs and works of art.

Roy Calley works for BBC Sport as a TV Producer. He is the author of Blackpool: The Complete Record (2011), Hunt for Glory (2011), Blackpool’s 1953 FA Cup Final (2012), The Playboy and the Rat (2013), The World Water Speed Record (2014), On the Trail of Mary, Queen of Scots (2017) and Look with your Eyes and Tell the World (2019). His passion is for speed records, both on land and water, and he hopes that one day he may be able to add a little bit of history of his own. He has been fascinated by Mary, Queen of Scots dramatic and ultimately tragic story for many years and has visited all the locations described in his book. He has visited North Korea many times. He lives in Nice in the south of France and has an in-depth knowledge of the area, including the Principality of Monaco.