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Tranter was actively involved in affairs outside his writing.

One example of this is his belief that the stone under the Coronation Chair is not the true Stone of Destiny, but a thirteenth century fake which he refers to as the Westminster Stone. These were presented throughout his books. Becoming intimate with so much of the historical record, Tranter formed many theories of history, some of which were contrary to established thought. As well as his novels, this knowledge was translated into such non-fiction works as The Story of Scotland. His ability to retell history as a 'story' provided an accessible source for many people. As he moved into historical novels, his research became deeper until he had amassed vast knowledge of Scotland's history to a very detailed level. Initially intrigued by their architectural history, Tranter soon developed an interest in Scottish history generally. The historianДЄs noted above, Tranter had a life-long interest in Scottish castles. These novels have gained a wide readership while providing a basic grounding in Scottish history to their readers. The fictional content decreased as he became more experienced, and his later novels were almost entirely composed around the historical record. By this time, Tranter was well established as a writer of serious historical fiction. Two trilogies followed: the MacGregor Trilogy (1957вЂ“1962) and the Master of Gray Trilogy (1961вЂ“1965). The Queen's Grace (1953) was his first novel to focus on an historical character (in this case, Mary, Queen of Scots), although it contained a high fictional content. While researching the castles, Tranter realised that there were many characters and incidents in Scottish history which could be used as the basis for novels, which he tried to make as accurate as possible - while making no effort to hide his own strong Scottish identity. Highly regarded at the time, it is still read by those who have an interest in this specialist area. This covered the history and structure of every castle and similar structure in Scotland, 663 buildings in all.

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Д«etween 19 Tranter published the landmark series The Fortified House in Scotland (in five volumes). While Tranter never served overseas, one of his manuscripts did it was never recovered. War service did not stop Tranter writing, and a number of novels were published during the war years, some inspired by his own experiences. Tranter also wrote several westerns under the pseudonym Nye Tredgold to provide additional income for his family, and a dozen children's books -adventure stories aimed at 8-10 year olds. These had varied settings, from modern-day Europe to historical Scotland. Over the next few years, he wrote several more novels in the same vein: light-hearted romantic adventures about imaginary characters. Unfortunately, they went bankrupt soon after its publication in 1937, and he didn't receive any payment.

However, Trespass soon followed and was accepted by The Moray Press. Encouraged by his wife, he wrote his first novel, In Our Arms Our Fortune, which was rejected by the publishers. As a result, in 1935, at age 25, he published his first book, The Fortalices and Early Mansions of Southern Scotland. WritingsДЇrom childhood onwards, Tranter took a great interest in castles and their associated history. He joined the Royal Artillery and served in East Anglia in the Second World War. In 1933 he married May Jean Campbell Grieve and had two children, Frances May and Philip. He trained as an accountant and worked in Scottish National Insurance Company, founded by his uncle.

Nigel Tranter was born in Glasgow and educated at George Heriot's School in Edinburgh.

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