Tom Bevan

Castle Crawford Wood in South Lanarkshire, popularly known as “Penis Woods” or the “Cock of the North,” is being felled despite a petition with more than 2,700 signatures calling for its protection as a cultural landmark. Scottish Forestry approved the work after assessing the roughly 200-year-old woodland, citing significant wind damage, unstable trees and the end of its natural lifecycle. The site is expected to be replanted with an appropriate mix of tree species, with the farm’s shepherd saying full removal is necessary to preserve its distinctive shape in the long term.

A new documentary explores claims that the Stone of Destiny used in King Charles III’s coronation may have been a replica, suggesting the original could reside in The Arlington pub in Glasgow. The theory revisits the 1950 student theft of the stone, its subsequent repair, and allegations that stonemason Bertie Gray created multiple replicas. Pub staff and supporters maintain the artefact in their possession is genuine, raising questions about the symbolic legitimacy of modern coronations. The documentary examines evidence, competing narratives, and the enduring mystery surrounding one of Scotland’s most iconic historical objects.