I am a historian of sixteenth and seventeenth century Scotland (with an interest medieval to modern), and the town of Bridgwater in Somerset. I hold a PhD from the University of Glasgow, a Latin Certificate from Lampeter, and am a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. I’ve worked for the Universities of Glasgow and Dundee, the Open University, the Burrell Collection and others. I am chair of the Friends of the Wembdon Road Cemetery, editor of the Bridgwater Heritage Group, past secretary of the Scottish Medievalists, and past reviews editor for the Innes Review.
Who is that fellow at the top of the page? That’s the Green Man. He is a carved boss depicted on the Bridgwater Ceiling in the Burrell Collection. Like me, he’s an exile from Bridgwater, now residing in Glasgow. Unusually for a Green Man, we don’t just see a head, but have his torso and arms, as well as a rather nice shirt.
Dr Miles Kerr-Peterson FSAScot
Recent Updates
22 October 2026: Notes on John Keith the first Laird of Ravenscraig.
20 October 2026: Images of Ravenscraig Castle, Aberdeenshire.
19 October 2026: A brief article looking at the origins of Ravenscraig Castle, Aberdeenshire.
13 October 2026: A look at a charter given under the Great Seal in 1593 for the Keiths of Ravenscraig, and how a mistake in the printed editions of a single letter caused me all sorts of grief.
29 September 2026: I’m down a rabbit hole with these Alexanders, this time Alexander Keith, writer in Edinburgh, (died before 1675) and his son Alexander (d.1670).
24 September 2026: Transcription of the testament dative of Alexander Keith, writer in Edinburgh,(died 1649).
18 September 2026: Transcription of the testament dative of Mr Robert Keith minister of Ecclesmachan, (died 1661).
13 September 2026: A lovely morning in the Wembdon Road Cemetery giving a tour for Heritage Open Days. We unveiled a new memorials to George David, a Waterloo Veteran and Charles Edward Bond, one of the first tank crews.
28 August 2026: I’m very glad to have been involved in the creation of this new book, The Women of Bridgwater: Stories from the Wembdon Road Cemetery, which is now published.
9 August 2026: Notes on James Keith of Drumtochty (d.1574), with a transcription of his will of 1577.
21 July 2026: Notes on Robert Keith of Canterland(d.1583), with a transcription of his will of 1588.
9 July 2026: Another appearance on BBC Radio Somerset, this time to promote the new Women of Bridgwaterbook, alongside Clare Spicer and Jillian Trethewey.
25 June 2026: I appeared on BBC Radio Somerset’s Charlie Taylor programme to talk about Bridge House, as that stately building has been added to SAVE’s Buildings at Risk list.
1 April 2026: William Dickinson’s Fontaine’s Fables, 1787
25 March 2026: A Mystery Elliot Crest
14 March 2026: Notes on William Keith, killed in Geneva 1577.
8 March 2026: James VI and I: collected essays by Jenny Wormald, which I edited together and provided an introduction and endnotes, is now available in paperback.
10 February 2026: Published in the National, my review of Gareth Russell’s Queen James book, alongside Rebecca Mason’s. This piece was commissioned by Charlie Lynch. The book itself is a fun, well-paced overview of James’ reigns – a few shortcomings, but a good effort.
4 January 2026: The Diary of Herbert Runciman, RAF Pilot, 1918
30 December 2025: A Kerr memorial Church Vasefrom Glengarnock Church, Ayrshire
29 December 2025: Er Illingworth’s Memorial, Undercliffe Cemetery Bradford