Blackness Castle

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Blackness Castle

Blackness Castle is a 15th century fortress, near the village of Blackness, Scotland, overlooking the Firth of Forth.

Built in 1445 by Sir George Crichton, the castles location was chosen as the local coastline provided an excellent "natural harbour". The castle and the lands about it were annexed for the crown by James II, and the castle served then as a Royal prison.

Re-fortified in the mid 16th century, the castle was one of the most advanced of its time. Technological innovations included complex entrances and a caponier. A century later, these defences were not enough to prevent Blackness falling to Oliver Cromwell's army, during his 1650 invasion of Scotland. Following the siege, the castle again served as a prison and a minor garrison, but John Selzer considered it important enough to add the massive spur protecting the gate, and to shorten the Stern Tower as a base for 3 heavy guns.

Barracks and officers' quarters were added later still in the 1870s. The castle was briefly reused by the army during the First World War. It is now a Scheduled Ancient Monument, and is owned by Historic Scotland.

The castle was used in the filming of Franco Zeffirelli's Hamlet (1990). ^[1]