Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh, Scotland UK grid reference NT250734
The castle dominates the Edinburgh skyline, as seen here from Princes Street Gardens
Shown within Scotland
Built	Parts date from the 11th to 20th centuries
In use	Still in use today
Current owner	Historic Scotland / British Army
Open to the public	Yes
Garrison	British 2nd Infantry Division
Current commander	Major General David MacDowall
Battles/wars	Lang Siege (1573)

Edinburgh Castle is an ancient stronghold which dominates the sky-line of the city of Edinburgh from its position atop Castle Rock. It is Scotland's second-most-visited tourist attraction.^[1] Human habitation of the site is dated back as far as the 9th century BC. As it stands today though, few of the castle's structures pre-date the Lang Siege of the 16th century, with the notable exception of St Margaret's Chapel, the oldest surviving building in Edinburgh, which dates from the early 12th century.

History

Pre-history of the site

Geology

The Castle stands upon the basalt plug of an extinct volcano which is estimated to have risen some 340 million years ago during the lower Carboniferous age. Standing 120 metres (400 ft) above sea level, the Castle Rock is a classic example of a crag and tail formation.

These geological foundations cannot be underestimated in their significance for the subsequent development of the Castle (and indeed the city) and the events which have defined its history. To the south, west and north, the castle is protected by sheer cliffs rearing some 80 metres (260 ft) from the surrounding landscape. This means that the only readily accessible route to the castle lies to the East, where the ridge slopes more gently.

But just as its location has rendered the Castle all but impregnable (it has never been taken by a direct assault against its gates), it has also presented difficulties. Not the least of these is that basalt is an extremely poor aquifer and therefore providing water to the upper ward of the castle in particular has long been problematic. Today this can be inconvenient, as the poor quality of the piped water which is now available in the Palace Block (where the castle's stewards have their mess room) means that bottled water has to be transported up from the lower ward. Historically, however, the inaccessibility of water was disastrous under siege conditions.

Earliest habitation

See also: Prehistoric Scotland

The origins of Edinburgh lie so deep beneath the mound of history that writing on the matter is largely speculative and often contradictory. It has been suggested that an early reference to occupation of the site of the Castle can be found as early as the mid-second century AD.^[2] Ptolemy (c. 83 – c. 168) refers to a settlement of the Votadini known to the Romans as Alauna, meaning "rock place".

More doubtful evidence of still earlier habitation is provided by Andrew of Wyntoun (c. 1350 – c. 1423), an early chronicler of Scottish history. Wyntoun's Orygynale Cronykil alludes to "Ebrawce" (Ebraucus), a legendary King of the Britons, who "byggyd Edynburgh".^[3] According to the earlier English chronicler, Geoffrey of Monmouth (c. 1100 – c. 1155), Ebraucus had fifty children by his twenty wives, and was the founder of "Kaerebrauc" (York) and "Alclud" (Dumbarton). Monmouth's History states that Ebraucus reigned in Britain at the same time that David reigned in Israel (around 1000 BC).^[4] Monmouth mentions a "Maidens' Castle", but does not mention Edinburgh. John Stow (c. 1525 – 1605), credited Ebraucus with building "the Castell of Maidens called Edenbrough".^[5]

While there must be serious doubts about the veracity of these early chronicles, an archaeological survey of the Castle in the late 1980s^[6] does lend credence to the idea of the site having been settled during the late Bronze Age (or early Iron Age). However, the extent of the finds was not particularly significant and was insufficient to draw any certain conclusions about the precise nature or scale of this earliest known phase of occupation. Whether this was indeed the hall of the fecund King Ebrawce can only be a matter of speculation.

The archaeological evidence becomes more compelling in the Iron Age. Traditionally, it had been supposed that the tribes which inhabited this part of central Scotland had made little or no use of the Castle Rock. Excavations at nearby Traprain Law, Dunsapie Hill, Duddingston and Inveresk had revealed relatively large settlements and it was supposed that these sites had, for some reason, been chosen in preference to the Castle rock. If the excavations of the late 1980s did not disprove this view, it at least demonstrated that the position was somewhat more complex.

The dig revealed clear signs of habitation from the first and second centuries AD (which is consistent with Ptolemy's reference to Alauna). Interestingly, these signs of occupation included a good deal of Roman material including pottery, bronzes and brooches. This may reflect a trading relationship between the Votadini and the Romans beginning with Agricola's foray north and continuing through to the establishment of the Antonine Wall when the Romans temporarily established themselves nearby at Cramond. From this point onwards there is strong evidence pointing towards continuous habitation of the site through to the present—albeit with fluctuations in population levels.

The Dark Ages

The castle does not re-appear in known historical records from the time of Ptolemy until around AD 600. Then, in the brythonic epic Y Gododdin we find a reference to Din Eidyn, "the stronghold of Eidyn". The poem tells of the Gododdin King Mynyddog Mwynfawr^[7] and his band of warriors who, after a year of feasting in their fortress, set out to do battle with the Angles in the area of contemporary Yorkshire. Despite performing glorious deeds of valour and bravery the Brythons were massacred.

How far this poetic account of events should be believed is debatable. Moreover, it is by no means universally accepted that the site of Edinburgh Castle and the Hall of Eidyn are synonymous. The archaeological evidence is equivocal; for the relevant period it is entirely based on analysis of midden heaps from which few conclusions can be derived about the status of the settlement during this period. Moreover, only the lower ward of the castle has been subject to thorough archaeological scrutiny.

What is known is that at some time after the events related in Y Gododdin, Din Eidyn was besieged by the Angles and fell to them. It is during this period of Anglian rule that Edinburgh acquires its name, made up from its ancient name Dunedin and Anglian burgh ("city"). Of the fate of the settlement on the Castle Rock during this period, however, little can be said.

The High Middle Ages

Further information: Scotland in the High Middle Ages

The first documentary reference to a castle at Edinburgh is in John of Fordun's account of the death of King Malcolm III. Fordun places his widow, the future Saint Margaret, at the "Castle of Maidens", where she learns of his death in November 1093. Fordun's accout goes on to relate how Margaret dies of grief within days, and how Malclom's brother Donald Bane laid siege to the castle. However, Fordun's chronicle was not written until the later 14th century, and the near-contemporary account of the life of St Margaret, by Bishop Turgot, makes no mention of a castle.^[8] During the reign of Malcolm III, Dunfermline rather than Edinburgh was the primary royal residence. This began to change though during the reign of his youngest son, King David I (ruled 1124–1153).

King David's largest contribution to the development of Edinburgh as a site of royal power undoubtedly lay in his administrative reforms. However, he is also credited with effecting more tangible changes to the fabric of the castle. Of these (for reasons discussed below) only St. Margaret's Chapel remains. But, knowing that the first meeting of the Scottish Parliament occurred at the castle around 1140,^[9] it seems there were other, large buildings occupying the rock at this time. A church dedicated to St Mary stood on the site of the Scottish National War Memorial.^[10] Given that the southern part of the Upper Ward (where Crown Square is now sited) was not amenable to being built upon until the construction of the vaults in the fifteenth century it seems probable that these earlier buildings would have been located towards the Northern part of the rock; that is around the area where St. Margaret's Chapel stands. This has led to a suggestion that the chapel is the last remnant of a square, stone keep which would have formed the bulk of the twelfth-century fortification.^[11] The structure may have been similar to the keep of Carlisle Castle, which David I began after 1135.^[12]

In 1174, David's sucessor King William "the Lion" (ruled 1165–1214) was captured by the English at the Battle of Alnwick. He was forced to sign the Treaty of Falaise to secure his release, in return for surrendering Edinburgh Castle, along with the castles of Berwick, Roxburgh and Stirling, to the English King, Henry II. The castle was occupied by the English for twelve years, until 1186, when it was returned to William as the dowry of his English bride, Ermengarde de Beaumont, who had been chosen for him by King Henry.^[13]

Wars of Scottish Independence

Statue of Robert the Bruce at the castle entrance

When King Alexander III died in 1286, the throne of Scotland became vacant. Edward I of England was appointed to adjudicate the competing claims for the Scottish crown, but attempted to use the opportunity to establish himself as the feudal overlord of Scotland. During the negotiations, Edward stayed briefly at Edinburgh Castle, and had much of the country's records and treasure removed to England.^[13]

In March 1296, Edward I invaded Scotland, sparking the First War of Scottish Independence. Edinburgh Castle soon came under English control, surrendering after three days of bombardment.^[14] A large garrison was installed, 347 strong in 1300.^[13] After the death of Edward I in 1307, however, England's control over Scotland weakened. On 14 March 1314, a surprise night attack by Thomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Moray, recaptured the castle. The daring plan involved a party of thirty hand-picked men, led by one William Francis, who had lived in the castle as a boy, making a difficult ascent up the north face of the Castle Rock, and taking the garrison by surprise. Robert the Bruce immediately ordered the destruction of the Castle's defences to prevent re-occupation by the English.^[15] Shortly after, Bruce's army secured victory at the Battle of Bannockburn.

After Bruce's death, Edward III of England determined to carry on his grandfather's project, and supported the claim of Edward Balliol, son of the former King John Balliol, over that of the young David II, son of the Bruce. Edward invaded in 1333, marking the start of the Second War of Scottish Independence, and the English forces reoccupied and refortified Edinburgh Castle, which they held until 1341. This time, the Scottish assault was led by William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas. Douglas's party disguised themselves as merchants bringing supplies to the garrison. Driving a cart into the Castle, they halted it to prevent the gates closing. A larger force hidden nearby rushed to join them, and the castle was retaken.^[13] The English garrison, numbering 100, were all killed.^[16]

David's Tower and the fifteenth century

The Treaty of Berwick of 1357 brought the Wars of Independence to a close. David II resumed his rule, and set about rebuilding Edinburgh Castle. David's Tower was begun around 1367, and was incomplete when David died at the Castle in 1371, being completed by his successor, Robert II, in the 1370s. David's Tower stood on the site of the present Half Moon Battery, and was connected by a section of curtain wall to the smaller Constable's Tower, built between 1375 and 1379,^[17] where the Portcullis Gate now stands.^[13] It was enormous by the standards of the time, standing 30 metres (98 ft) high - twice as high as the Half Moon Battery. The tower initially served as the principal entrance to the castle, but by later years it was expanded to include many more rooms for guests and visiting nobility, and the original main entrance became boxed off by a guest room.

Edinburgh Castle as it looked before the Lang Siege of 1573, with David's Tower in the centre

In the early 15th century, another English invasion, this time under Henry IV, reached Edinburgh Castle and began a siege, but due to a lack of supplies, the English withdrew.^[13] In 1440, Sir William Crichton was Keeper of Edinburgh Castle, as well as Chancellor of Scotland. In an attempt to gain the regency of Scotland, Crichton sought to overthrow the power of the Earls of Douglas, the principal noble family in the kingdom. The sixteen-year-old William Douglas, 6th Earl of Douglas, and his younger brother David, were summoned to Edinburgh Castle. The so-called "Black Dinner" which followed saw the two boys summarily beheaded on trumped-up charges, in the presence of the ten-year-old King James II (ruled 1437–1460). Douglas' supporters subsequently laid siege to the Castle, causing some damage.^[18] Construction continued during these events, with the area now known as Crown Square being laid out over vaults in the 1430s. Royal apartments were built, forming the nucleus of the later palace block, and a Great Hall was in existence by 1458. In 1464, the access to the castle was improved, with the current approach road up the north-east laid out.^[19]

In 1479, Alexander Stewart, Duke of Albany, was imprisoned in David's Tower for plotting against his brother, King James III (ruled 1460–1488). He escaped by getting his guards drunk, then lowering himself from a window on a rope.^[18] Albany fled to France, then England, where he allied himself with King Edward IV. In 1482, Albany marched into Scotland with Richard, Duke of Gloucester (later King Richard III) and an English Army. He occupied Edinburgh Castle, and imprisoned the King for two months, before the rebellion collapsed.^[18]

During the 15th century, the Castle was increasingly used as an arsenal and armaments factory,^[20] while the royal family began to stay more frequently at the Abbey of Holyrood, at the opposite end of the Royal Mile. Around the end of the century, King James IV (ruled 1488–1513) built Holyroodhouse, by the abbey, for his principal Edinburgh residence, and the Castle's role as a royal home subseqently declined.^[18] James IV did, however, construct the present Great Hall, which was completed in 1511.^[21]

The sixteenth century and the Lang Siege

James IV was killed in battle at Flodden Field, on 9 September 1513. Expecting the English to press their advantage, a town wall was hastily constructed around Edinburgh, and the Castle's defences were augmented. In 1517, King James V (ruled 1513–1542), still only five years old, was brought to the castle for safety. Upon James' death 25 years later, the crown passed to his week-old daughter, Mary. Mary's mother, Mary of Guise, based herself at Edinburgh Castle, acting as regent from 1554 to 1560, when she died at the Castle.^[18] The following year, Mary, Queen of Scots, returned from France to begin her reign.

The reign of the Catholic Queen Mary was marred by crises and quarrels between the powerful Scottish nobility. In 1565, she married Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, and the following year, in the palace block at Edinburgh Castle, she gave birth to James, who would later be King of both Scotland and England. Mary's own reign, however, was already drawing to a close. Following the murder of Darnley, she married James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell, one of the murder suspects, in 1567. A large proportion of the nobility rebelled, resulting ultimately in the imprisonment and deposition of Mary at Loch Leven Castle. However, she eventually escaped and fled to England, and some of the nobility remained faithful to her cause. Edinburgh Castle was initially handed by its Captain, James Balfour, to the Regent Moray, who had forced Mary's abdication, and now held power in the name of the infant King James VI. Moray appointed Sir William Kirkcaldy of Grange as Keeper of the Castle.^[18]

Once in control, however, Kirkcaldy of Grange changed his allegiance, holding Edinburgh Castle for Queen Mary. During the "Lang Siege" which followed, the Castle was blockaded for a year, until the Regent Morton, having succeeded Moray, requested assistance from Queen Elizabeth I of England. Heavy guns were dispatched to Edinburgh from Berwick-upon-Tweed, including one cannon that had been cast within Edinburgh Castle, and captured by the English at Flodden. The English gunners, led by Sir William Drury, commenced a bombardment of the Castle in May 1573. Within ten days the upper parts of David's Tower collapsed. The fallen masonry blocked off the single source of water for the castle, the Fore Well, and within a few days the castle surrendered, around two weeks after the arrival of the new guns. Kirkcaldy of Grange was summarily hanged.^[18]

Nova Scotia and Civil War

Memorial plaque to Sir William Alexander, on the Castle Esplanade

Much of the castle was subsequently rebuilt, including the Half Moon Battery, built by the Regent Morton. King James VI had repairs carried out in 1584, and again in 1615-1617, in preparation for his return visit to Scotland, after he had acceeded to the English throne in 1603. In 1621, King James granted Sir William Alexander the land in North America between New England and Newfoundland, as Nova Scotia ("New Scotland"). To promote the settlement and plantation of Nova Scotia, the Baronetage of Nova Scotia was created. Under Scots Law, baronets could receive their patents in Edinburgh rather than London. They had to "take sasine" by symbolically receiving the "earth and stone" of the land of which they were baronet. To make this possible, since Nova Scotia was far distant, a part of Edinburgh Castle was deemed granted to Sir William as part of Nova Scotia, and was declared Nova Scotian territory for this purpose. In return, the prospective baronets undertook to pay Sir William 1000 merks for his "past charges in discoverie of the said country". The law has never been repealed and the small part of Nova Scotia now lies under the Esplanade.

James' successor, King Charles I, visited Edinburgh Castle only once, hosting a feast in the Great Hall, and staying the night before his coronation as King of Scots in 1633, the last occasion that a reigning monarch has resided in the castle.^[18] In 1639, in response to Charles' attempts to reform the Scottish Church, civil war broke out between the King's forces, and the Covenanters. The Covenanters, led by Alexander Leslie, captured Edinburgh Castle after a short siege, although it was restored to Charles after the Peace of Berwick of June the same year. The peace was short lived, however, and the following year the Covenanters took the Castle again, this time after a three-month siege, during which the garrison ran out of supplies. The Royalist commander James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose was imprisoned here after his capture in 1650.^[22]

In May 1650, the Scots Covenanters signed the Treaty of Breda, allying themselves with King Charles II against the English Parliamentarians, who had executed King Charles I the previous year. In response, Oliver Cromwell launched an invasion of Scotland, defeating the Covenanter army at Dunbar in September. Edinburgh Castle was taken after a three-month siege, which caused further damage. The Governor of the Castle, Colonel Walter Dundas, surrendered to Cromwell despite having supplies to hold out, allegedly because he wished to change sides.^[22]

Garrison fortress

After his Restoration as King of England and Scotland, in 1660, Charles II opted to maintain a full-time standing army based on Cromwell's New Model Army. From this time, a garrison was continuously maintained at the castle, until the end of the First World War. During that time the medieval royal castle was transformed into a garrison fortress, but continued to see military and political action. The Marquis of Argyll was imprisoned here in 1661, during the mopping up of the King's enemies after the Restoration. Twenty years later, his son, the Earl of Argyll, was also imprisoned inthe Castle for religious Nonconformism. He escaped by disguising himself as his sister's footman. He was brought back to the Castle after his failed rebellion against King James VII in 1685.^[22]

James VII was deposed and exiled by the "Glorious Revolution" of 1688-89, which installed William of Orange as King of England. The Parliament of Scotland also accepted William as their new king, but the Duke of Gordon refused to acknowledge the decision, and held Edinburgh Castle for King James. Gordon was forced to surrender in June 1689, facing starvation, and having lost 70 men during a three-month siege.^[23][22] At the Union of England and Scotland in 1707, Edinburgh was one of the four Scottish castles to be maintained and permanently garrisoned under the treaty.^[24]

Edinburgh Castle with the Nor Loch in foreground, around 1780, by Alexander Nasmyth

The Castle was almost taken in the First Jacobite rising in support of James Stuart, the "Old Pretender", in 1715. A party of Jacobite troops led by Lord Drummond attempted to scale the walls, but the ladder they brought was too short.^[25] General Wade reported in 1728 that the Castle's defences were decayed and inadequate.^[22] Major refortifications were carried out throughout the 1720s and 1730s, when most of the artillery defences and bastions on the north and west sides of the castle were built. These were designed by military engineer Captain John Romer, and built by William Adam, and include the Argyle Battery, Mills Mount Battery, the Low Defences and the Western Defences.^[26]

The last military action the castle saw was during the 1745 Jacobite Rising. The Jacobite army, under Charles Edward Stuart, "Bonnie Prince Charlie", captured Edinburgh without a fight in September 1745, but the Castle remained in the hands of the aging Deputy Governor, General George Preston, who refused to surrender.^[27] After their victory over the government army at Prestonpans on 21 September, the Jacobites attempted to blockade the Castle. Preston's response was to bombard Jacobite positions within the town, and after several buildings had been demolished, Charles called off the blockade.^[28] The Jacobites themselves had no heavy guns with which to respond, and by November they had marched on to England, leaving Edinburgh to the castle garrison.^[29]

Over the next century, the castle vaults were used to hold prisoners of war during several conflicts, such as the Seven Years' War (1756–1763), the American War of Independence (1775–1783) and the Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815). During this time, several new buildings were erected within the castle. The Governor's House was built in 1742, and the New Barracks in 1799. A military hospital was constructed, as well as powder magazines and water reservoirs.

19th century to the present

Edinburgh Castle from the Foot of the Vennel, 1845, by Horatio McCulloch

In 1818, Sir Walter Scott was given permission to search for the Scottish Crown, hidden since the Union with England in 1707. Breaking open the Crown Room, he retreived the Honours of Scotland, which were then put on public display, with an entry charge of one shilling.^[30] In 1822, King George IV made a visit to Edinburgh, becoming the first reigning monarch to visit to the Castle since 1651. In 1829, Mons Meg was returned from London, and the Palace began to be opened up to visitors during the 1830s. St Margaret's Chapel was "rediscovered" in 1846, having been used as a store for many years.^[30] A new gatehouse was built in 1888, and the Great Hall was repaired by architect Hippolyte Blanc, after years of being used as a barracks. In 1905, responsibility for the Castle was transferred from the War Office to the Office of Works,^[31] although the garrison remained until 1923, when the troops moved to Redford Barracks in south-west Edinburgh. Several military administrative functions are still based at the Castle, including Regimental Headquarters.

Description

Plan of Edinburgh Castle
Key:
1. Esplanade: A=Ditch
2. Lower Ward: B=Gatehouse, C=Ticket office
3. Middle Ward: D=Argyle Tower, E=Argyle Battery, F=Mills Mount Battery & One o'Clock Gun, G=Cartsheds, H=Western Defences, I=Hospital, J=Butts Battery, K=Scottish National War Museum, L=Governors House, M=New Barracks, N=Military Prison, O=Royal Scots Museum
4. Upper Ward: P=Foog's Gate, Q=Reservoirs, R=Mons Meg, S=Pet Cemetery, T=St. Margaret's Chapel, U=Half Moon Battery
5. Crown Square: V=Royal Palace, W=Great Hall, X=Queen Anne Building, Y=Scottish National War Memorial

At the top of the Royal Mile, in front of the castle, is a long sloping forecourt known as the Esplanade, originally constructed as a parade ground in 1753. It is upon this Esplanade that the Edinburgh Military Tattoo takes place annually. From the Esplanade may be seen the Half Moon Battery, which is a dominant feature visible in Alexander Nasmyth's painting. This drum-shaped fortification, completed in 1588 after the Lang Siege, incorporates the ruined remains of the Keep of 1364, known as David's Tower.

Lower Ward

The castle proper is entered through a gatehouse in front of the Half Moon Battery. This structure was built as an architecturally cosmetic addition to the castle in 1888. Statues of Robert the Bruce and William Wallace flanking the entrance were added in 1929. The dry ditch and drawbridge in front of the entrance, however, date from the time of the New Model Army's occupation of the castle in the 1650s. The road leads upward and around to the right of the battery and through an older Portcullis Gate, built after the Lang Siege of 1571–73, and replacing the ruined Constable's Tower.

Middle Ward

The Governor's House was built in 1742 and used until the post of Governor was abolished in 1860; it was then used by Nurses of the castle hospital. Today, it functions as an officers' mess and the office of the Governor, a Crown appointment restored for purely ceremonial purposes in 1935.

The New Barrack Block, completed in 1799 to replace the outdated accommodation in the Great Hall, now houses the headquarters of the 52nd Infantry Brigade, the Regimental Headquarters of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, and the regimental Headquarters and museum of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys).

Also nearby, at the former Royal Scots drill hall, constructed in 1900, is the regimental museum of the Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment). The military prison was built in 1842 for the castle garrison and was extended in the 1880s. It was last used in 1923, when the garrison moved to Redford Barracks.

National War Museum of Scotland

Main article: National War Museum of Scotland

Two stores for munitions were built on either side of a courtyard to a design by William Skinner in 1753. Skinner, a military engineer, is best known for his design of Fort George near Inverness. The main gunpowder magazine also originally stood on the west side of the courtyard. This was demolished in 1887 and the two storehouses remodelled as a military hospital, formerly housed in the Great Hall. The north storehouse now houses the National War Museum of Scotland. The museum forms part of the National Museums of Scotland. It was formerly known as the Scottish United Services Museum, and, prior to this, the Scottish Naval and Military Museum, when it was housed in the Queen Anne Building. It covers Scottish military history and wars over the past 400 years and includes a wide range of military artefacts, such as uniforms, medals and weapons. The exhibitions also place a lot of emphasis on explaining the history and causes behind the many wars Scotland has been involved in.

Upper Ward

Half Moon Battery

The Half Moon Battery was constructed on the site of the old David's Tower after the Lang Siege, as part of the reconstruction works supervised by James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton. This set of defences, prominent on the East side of the castle today, sits over the old ruins, and several rooms from the ground and first floors of the tower still exist underneath the Battery, with windows facing out onto the interior wall of the Battery. Several of these are accessible to the public, although the lower (ground floor) elements are generally closed.

The inaccessible areas include a former master guest bedroom, and a three-story room outside the original David's Tower (with large portions of the exterior wall still visible) created by the imposition of the Battery formerly used to house pigeons for consumption during the winter months. The walls of these sections are correspondingly pitted with chunks of stone removed to provide nesting places for the birds. The Half Moon Battery was completed in 1588.

St. Margaret's Chapel

St. Margaret's Chapel

Main article: St. Margaret's Chapel

The oldest building in the castle, and in Edinburgh, is the small St. Margaret's Chapel, which dates to the start of the 12th century. King David I built it as a private chapel for the royal family and dedicated it to his mother, Saint Margaret of Scotland, who died in the castle in 1093.

Robert the Bruce had the Castle destroyed by his lieutenant, Thomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Moray, to prevent English capture in the event of an unsuccessful battle at Bannockburn; however, he relented over the chapel and ordered its restoration. In any event, the campaign was a success and Robert the Bruce defeated Edward II.

This building is still used for various religious ceremonies such as weddings and christenings, with a capacity of approximately 25 people.

On a ledge beneath St. Margaret's Chapel, there is a (Victorian) cemetery for the pets of soldiers and regimental mascot dogs residing at the castle which have died over the years.

Mons Meg

Main article: Mons Meg

Mons Meg

The great fifteenth-century siege gun Mons Meg can be seen today outside St. Margaret's Chapel. Mons Meg was constructed by ``Duke´s artillery´´ 1449 but wasn't delivered to king James of Scotland before 1453. After a time Duke´s artillery decided to help the Scottish against the English by sending artillery supplies. The six-ton bombard faces North across the city. From this vantage, modern visitors to the castle will be able to see the city's Botanic Gardens, which lie roughly 3.2 kilometres from the castle (almost 2 miles). It was on this site that one of the cannon's 150-kilogram (330 lb) gun stones was found to have landed, when it was fired from the Castle in celebration of the marriage of Mary, Queen of Scots, to the French dauphin François II in 1558. Mons Meg has been defunct since her barrel burst on 14 October 1681 when firing a birthday salute for the Duke of Albany.

Crown Square

Stained glass in the Great Hall

Crown Square is the citadel at the top of the castle. It was created in the 15th century, during the reign of King James III, as the principal courtyard of the castle, at a time when Edinburgh finally emerged as the capital of the Kingdom of Scotland. The foundations were formed by the construction of a series of large stone vaults built into the uneven Castle Rock. The name Crown Square came into use after the recovery of the Honours of Scotland in 1818; before that time it was known as Palace Yard. The square is formed by the National War Memorial to the North, the Royal Palace block to the East, the Great Hall to the South and the Queen Anne Building to the West.

Royal Palace

These are the former Royal Apartments, dating from the 15th century and were the residence of the later Stewart monarchs. It reached its peak of importance during the reign of Mary Queen of Scots and includes a small room known as Birth Chamber or Mary Room where King James VI of Scotland, who was to also become James I of England was born to Mary, Queen of Scots. Mary, who had a strong claim to the throne of England, incited the concern of her cousin, Elizabeth I of England, who Mary later sought the safety of after the Battle of Carberry Hill, imprisoned and eventually beheaded her. The building was extensively remodelled for the visit of King James VI to the castle in 1617.

The Crown Room

This vaulted Strongroom is located on the first floor of the Royal Palace building and contains the Honours of Scotland. These are the Scottish Crown Jewels and Regalia. They include the Crown of Scotland, sceptre and sword of state. The crown dates from 1540, is made of Scottish gold and is set with 94 pearls, ten diamonds and 33 other precious and semi-precious gemstones. The Sceptre is also made of gold, and topped with a large Rock Crystal (Quartz). The most treasured possession of Scotland is also located among the honours. It is the Stone of Destiny, otherwise known as the Stone of Scone, upon which the monarchs of Scotland are traditionally crowned. It had been taken to England and incorporated into the Coronation Chair in Westminster Abbey but was returned to Scotland in 1996 on the understanding that it be returned to Westminster for subsequent coronations.

The Great Hall

The Great Hall of the Castle was built in 1513 on the orders of King James IV as the chief place of State Assembly in the castle. It still has its original Hammerbeam roof, one of the most important timber roofs in Scotland. It was used for meetings of the Parliament of Scotland prior to the building of Parliament Hall next to St Giles Cathedral in 1639. During the Interregnum in the 1650s, the Great Hall was converted into a barracks by the New Model Army under General George Monck and was further altered in 1737 to house 312 soldiers. Following the construction of the New Barracks in the 1790s, it became a military hospital until 1887. It was then restored by the architect Hippolyte Blanc in the contemporary Victorian vernacular. The Great Hall is still sometimes used for ceremonial occasions and is a venue on Hogmanay for BBC Scotland's Hogmanay Live programme.

The Headquarters of 52 Infantry Brigade in the New Barrack Block

Queen Anne Building

In the Middle Ages, this area housed the kitchens serving the adjacent Great Hall. The present building was named for Queen Anne and built during the attempted invasion by the Old Pretender in 1708. It was designed by Captain Theodore Dury, military engineer for Scotland, who also designed the eponymous Dury's Battery on the south side of the castle in 1713. The building provided accommodation for Staff Officers. It was remodelled in 1933 as the Naval and Military Museum to complement the newly-opened Scottish National War Memorial.

The Scottish National War Memorial in Crown Square

Scottish National War Memorial

St. Mary's Church originally stood on this site in the Middle Ages but this was converted into an armoury in 1540 and demolished in 1755 to make room for the new North Barrack Block. The barracks was vacated by the Army in 1923, who moved to Redford Barracks. It was then adapted by Sir Robert Lorimer as the Scottish National War Memorial, to commemorate Scots and those serving with Scottish regiments who had died in the First World War and subsequent conflicts. The conversion was formally opened on 14 July 1927. The stained-glass windows are by Douglas Strachan. As a mark of respect, photography is prohibited within this building.^[32]

Present use

Tourist attraction

A re-enactor portraying James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell, a husband of Mary Queen of Scots, in the Great Hall

The Castle is now run and administered, for the most part, by Historic Scotland. Historic Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish Government^[33] and undertakes the dual (and sometimes mutually contradictory) tasks of operating the castle as a commercially viable tourist attraction while simultaneously having responsibility for conservation of the site.

Historic Scotland maintain a number of attractions for visitors. There are two cafés/restaurants in the castle, in addition to numerous historical displays. Historic Scotland have an educational centre in the castle which runs events for schools and educational groups, including re-enactors in costume and with period weaponry. There are also a number of re-enactors employed for the general public in portions of the castle such as the Great Hall.

Military role

A Sentry of the Royal Regiment of Scotland posted on the Esplanade at the entrance to Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh's fortress remains a centre of military activity. As an ancient fortress, Edinburgh Castle is one of the few that still has a military garrison, albeit for largely ceremonial and administrative purposes. The New Barrack Block is now home to the official headquarters of the Royal Regiment of Scotland and 52 Infantry Brigade, as well as home to the regimental museum of the Royal Scots and Royal Scots Dragoon Guards. The Governor of Edinburgh Castle is Major General David MacDowall, GOC of the British Army's 2nd Division. The Governor of the Castle has always been the head of the Army in Scotland. Direct administration of the castle by the War Office only came to an end in 1923 when the army formally moved to the city's new Redford Barracks. Nevertheless, the Castle continues to have a strong connection with the Army. Sentries still stand watch at the castle gatehouse after opening hours, with responsibility for guarding the Honours of Scotland.

Military Tattoo

Main article: Edinburgh Military Tattoo

Royal Marines emerging from Edinburgh Castle during the Military Tattoo 2005

A series of spectacular performances known as the Edinburgh Military Tattoo takes place on the Esplanade each year during August. The basis of the performance is a parade of the pipes and drums of the Scottish regiments, but after more than fifty years, the Tattoo has developed a complex format which includes many invited performers as diverse as (in 2006) a Choir of Ugandan orphans and a Kung Fu troupe. The climax of the evening is the haunting sound of a lone piper playing a pibroch in memory of dead comrades in arms from the castle battlements, followed by the tremendous noise of the massed bands joining in a medley of Scotland's most rousing tunes. Because of the enormous popularity of the Tattoo it is broadcast in Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Germany.

One O'Clock Gun

The One O'Clock Gun on Mill's Mount Battery

The One O'Clock Gun is fired every day (except Sunday) at precisely 13:00, allowing citizens and visitors to check their clocks and watches. The origin of the tradition lies in the days before accurate timepieces, when sailing ships in the Firth of Forth needed a reliable time signal to check their marine chronometers.

In 1861, Captain Wauchope, a Scottish officer in the Royal Navy, invented the time ball, still seen today on top of Nelson's Monument, Calton Hill. At one o'clock the ball drops giving the signal to sailors, but this meant that someone would have to be looking out for it and it often could not be seen in foggy weather. So, in the same year the gun was fired simultaneously to the time ball dropping. It was originally an 18-pound muzzle loading cannon, which needed four men to load; fire was fired from the Half Moon Battery. The gun could be easily heard by ships in Leith Harbour, 2 miles (3.2 km) away. The cannon was replaced with a 25-pound Howitzer in 1953, and more recently by the L118 Light Gun. It is now fired from Mill's Mount Battery on the North face of the Castle by the District Gunner from 105th Regiment Royal Artillery (Volunteers). Because sound travels slowly (approx. 343 m/s), maps have been produced to show the actual time when the sound of the gun was heard at various locations in Edinburgh.^[34]

The One O'Clock Gun Firing

Although the gun is no longer required for its original purpose, the ceremony has become a popular tourist attraction. One of the District Gunners, Staff Sergeant Thomas McKay MBE, popularly known as "Tam the Gun", was the longest-running District Gunner to fire the One O'Clock Gun, from 1979 until his death in 2005. He also opened a small museum about the Gun in the castle and was seen every Hogmanay signalling the new year by firing his gun. The Gun is also fired to mark the arrival of the New Year as part of Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations.

Banknotes

Edinburgh Castle has been represented on various issues of banknotes issued by Scottish clearing banks. In the 1960s the castle was illustrated on £5 notes issued by the Royal Bank of Scotland^[35], and since 1987 it has featured on the reverse of £1 notes also issued by the Royal Bank.^[36] In 1997 the Clydesdale Bank also issued a special commemorative £20 note which included an illustration of Edinburgh Castle.^[37]

References and footnotes

Bibliography

• Ashmole, Myrtle (1981). Harpers Handbook to Edinburgh. Noel Collins. ISBN 0907686001. 
• Driscoll, S.T., Yeoman, Peter, and Clark, Jane (1997). Excavations within Edinburgh Castle in 1988-91. Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. ISBN 0903903121. 
• Fenwick, Hugh (1976). Scotland's Castles. Robert Hale. ISBN 0709157312. 
• Fernie, Eric (1986). "Early Church Architecture in Scotland". Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland 116: pp.393-411. http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/PSAS_2002/pdf/vol_116/116_393_411.pdf. 
• Gibson, John Sibbald (1995). Edinburgh in the '45. Saltire Society. ISBN 0854110674. 
• Harris, Stewart (2002). The Place Names of Edinburgh: Their Origins and History. Steve Savage. ISBN 1904246060. 
• McWilliam, Colin, Gifford, John, and Walker, David (1984). Edinburgh. The Buildings of Scotland. Penguin. ISBN 014071068. 
• Salter, Mike (1994). The Castles of Lothian and the Borders. Folly Publications. ISBN 1871731208. 
• Scott-Moncrieff, George (1965). Edinburgh. ISBN 0050018299. 
• Tabraham, Chris (1997). Scotland's Castles. BT Batsford/Historic Scotland. ISBN 0713479655. 
• Tabraham, C.J. (2003). Edinburgh Castle: Official Guide. Historic Scotland. ISBN 1903570336. 
• Tabraham, C.J. (2008). Edinburgh Castle: Official Guide. Historic Scotland. ISBN 1903570336. 

See also

• Castles in Scotland
• List of Governors of Edinburgh Castle
• Military of Scotland

External links

• Edinburgh Castle - site information from Historic Scotland
• www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk
• www.edinburghcastle.biz
• Undiscovered Scotland's page on Edinburgh Castle
• Ceiling collapse in one of the anterooms adjacent to Laich Hall in 2005
• MOD website feature on Edinburgh Castle
• An historical documentary on Edinburgh Castle from Scotland on TV