Edinburgh Castle

Coordinates: 55°56′55″N 3°12′3″W / 55.94861°N 3.20083°W / 55.94861; -3.20083
This is a good article. Click here for more information.
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For other uses, see Edinburgh Castle (disambiguation).

Edinburgh Castle
Castlehill, Edinburgh in Scotland
Edinburgh Castle dominates the Old Town
Site information
TypeVisitor attraction and British Army regimental headquarters
OwnerScottish Ministers[1]
OperatorHistoric Environment Scotland and British Army[1]
Open to
the public		Yes
Visitor numbers2,201,354 (2019)[2]
Websitewww.edinburghcastle.scot
Location
Map
Coordinates55°56′55″N 3°12′3″W / 55.94861°N 3.20083°W / 55.94861; -3.20083
Site history
Built11th century through to the 21st century
Battles/wars
Events
Major General Alastair Bruce of Crionaich
Past
commanders		List of governors of Edinburgh Castle
Designated17 May 1993
Reference no.SM90130[3]

Edinburgh Castle is a historic castle in Edinburgh, Scotland. It stands on Castle Rock, which has been occupied by humans since at least the Iron Age. There has been a royal castle on the rock since the reign of Malcolm III in the 11th century, and the castle continued to be a royal residence until 1633. From the 15th century, the castle's residential role declined, and by the 17th century it was principally used as a military garrison. Its importance as a part of Scotland's national heritage was recognised increasingly from the early 19th century onwards, and various restoration programmes have been carried out over the past century and a half.

Edinburgh Castle has played a prominent role in

St Margaret's Chapel from the early 12th century, which is regarded as the oldest building in Edinburgh,[5] the Royal Palace, and the early 16th-century Great Hall. The castle is the site of the Scottish National War Memorial and the National War Museum. The British Army is still responsible for some parts of the castle, although its presence is now largely ceremonial and administrative. The castle is the regimental headquarters of the Royal Regiment of Scotland and the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards and houses their regimental museums, along with that of the Royal Scots
.

The castle, in the care of

Edinburgh Festival
, the castle has become a recognisable symbol of Edinburgh in particular and of Scotland as a whole.

History

Pre-history of the Castle Rock

Geology

Main article:
Castle Rock, Edinburgh
Diagram of a crag and tail feature, such as the Castle Rock: A is the crag formed from the volcanic plug, B is the tail of softer rock, and C shows the direction of ice movement. In the case of Edinburgh, the castle stands on the crag (A) with the Royal Mile extending along the tail (B)

The castle stands upon the

dolerite, a type of basalt. Subsequent glacial erosion was resisted by the dolerite, which protected the softer rock to the east, leaving a crag and tail formation.[8]

The summit of the Castle Rock is 130 metres (430 ft) above sea level, with rocky cliffs to the south, west, and north, rising to a height of 80 metres (260 ft) above the surrounding landscape.[9] This means that the only readily accessible route to the castle lies to the east, where the ridge slopes more gently. The defensive advantage of such a site is self-evident, but the geology of the rock also presents difficulties, since basalt is extremely impermeable. Providing water to the Upper Ward of the castle was problematic, and despite the sinking of a 34-metre (112 ft) deep well, the water supply often ran out during drought or siege,[10] including during the Lang Siege in 1573.[11]

Earliest habitation

See also:
Castle of Maidens
The castle is built on a volcanic rock, as seen here in a 19th-century view from the Grassmarket area

An archaeological investigation has yet to establish when the Castle Rock was first used for human habitation. There is no record of any Roman interest in the location during

Arthurian legends suggest that the site once held a shrine to Morgain la Fee, one of nine sisters.[22] Later, St Monenna, said to be one of nine companions, reputedly invested a church at Edinburgh, as well as at Dumbarton and other places.[23] Similar names are shared by many other Iron Age hillforts and may have simply described a castle that had never been taken by force[24] or derived from an earlier Brittonic name like mag dun.[25][26]

The Castle seen from the North

An archaeological excavation in the early 1990s uncovered evidence of the site having been settled during the late Bronze Age or early Iron Age, potentially making Castle Rock the longest continuously occupied site in Scotland.[27] However, the extent of the finds was not particularly significant and insufficient to draw any certain conclusions about the precise nature or scale of this earliest known phase of occupation.[28]

The archaeological evidence is more reliable concerning the Iron Age. Traditionally, it had been supposed that the tribes of central Scotland had made little or no use of the Castle Rock. Excavations at nearby Dunsapie Hill, Duddingston, Inveresk and Traprain Law had revealed relatively large settlements and it was supposed that these sites had been chosen in preference to the Castle Rock. However, the excavation in the 1990s pointed to the probable existence of an enclosed hillfort on the rock, although only the fringes of the site were excavated. House fragments revealed were similar to Iron Age dwellings previously found in Northumbria.[29]

The 1990s dig revealed clear signs of habitation from the 1st and 2nd centuries AD, consistent with Ptolemy's reference to "Alauna". Signs of occupation included some Roman material, including pottery, bronzes and brooches, implying a possible trading relationship between the Votadini and the Romans beginning with Agricola's northern campaign in AD 82, and continuing through to the establishment of the Antonine Wall around AD 140. The nature of the settlement in this period is inconclusive, but Driscoll and Yeoman suggest it may have been a broch, similar to the one at Edin's Hall near Duns in the Scottish Borders.[30]

Early Middle Ages

Map of northern Britain showing the Gododdin and other tribes c.600 AD

The castle does not re-appear in contemporary historical records from the time of Ptolemy until around AD 600. Then, in the epic Welsh poem Y Gododdin there is a reference to Din Eidyn, "the stronghold of Eidyn". This has been generally assumed to refer to the Castle Rock.[31] The poem tells of the Gododdin King Mynyddog Mwynfawr,[32] and his band of warriors, who, after a year of feasting in their fortress, set out to do battle with the Angles at "Catreath" (possibly Catterick) in Yorkshire. Despite performing glorious deeds of valour and bravery, the poem relates that the Gododdin were massacred.[33]

The

Indulf (r.954–962).[35]

The archaeological evidence for the period in question is based entirely on the analysis of middens (domestic refuse heaps), with no evidence of structures. Few conclusions can therefore be derived about the status of the settlement during this period, although the midden deposits show no clear break since Roman times.[36]

High Middle Ages

Further information: Scotland in the High Middle Ages
A blue-robed woman wearing a crown
St Margaret, depicted in a stained glass window in the chapel of Edinburgh Castle

The first documentary reference to a castle at Edinburgh is

King Edgar died here in 1107.[39]

Malcolm's youngest son,

St. Mary, which stood on the site of the Scottish National War Memorial.[41] Given that the southern part of the Upper Ward (where Crown Square is now sited) was not suited to be built upon until the construction of the vaults in the 15th century, it seems probable that any 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 been suggested that the chapel is the last remnant of a square, stone keep, which would have formed the bulk of the 12th-century fortification.[42] The structure may have been similar to the keep of Carlisle Castle, which David I began after 1135.[43]

David's successor

King William "the Lion" (r.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.[44] By the end of the 12th century, Edinburgh Castle was established as the main repository of Scotland's official state papers.[45]

Wars of Scottish Independence

Statues of Robert the Bruce by Thomas Clapperton and William Wallace by Alexander Carrick were added to the Gatehouse entrance in 1929

A century later, in 1286, on the death of King Alexander III, the throne of Scotland became vacant. Edward I of England was appointed to adjudicate the competing claims for the Scottish crown, but used the opportunity to attempt to establish himself as the feudal overlord of Scotland. During the negotiations, Edward stayed briefly at Edinburgh Castle and may have received homage there from the Scottish nobles.[46]

In March 1296, Edward I invaded Scotland, unleashing the First War of Scottish Independence. Edinburgh Castle soon came under English control, surrendering after a three-day-long bombardment.[47] Following the siege, Edward had many Scottish legal records and royal treasures moved from the castle to England.[46] A large garrison numbering 325 men was installed in 1300.[48] Edward also brought to Scotland his master builders of the Welsh castles, including Thomas de Houghton and Master Walter of Hereford, both of whom travelled from Wales to Edinburgh.[49] 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. John Barbour's narrative poem The Brus relates how a party of thirty hand-picked men was guided by one William Francis, a member of the garrison who knew of a route along the north face of the Castle Rock and a place where the wall might be scaled. Making the difficult ascent, Randolph's men scaled the wall, surprised the garrison and took control.[50] Robert the Bruce immediately ordered the slighting of the castle to prevent its re-occupation by the English.[51] Four months later, his army secured victory at the Battle of Bannockburn.[52][53]

After Bruce's death in 1329,

John Balliol, over that of Bruce's young son David II. Edward invaded in 1333, marking the start of the Second War of Scottish Independence, and the English forces reoccupied and refortified Edinburgh Castle in 1335,[54] holding it until 1341. This time, the Scottish assault was led by William Douglas, Lord of Liddesdale. Douglas's party disguised themselves as merchants from Leith bringing supplies to the garrison. Driving a cart into the entrance, they halted it there to prevent the gates from closing. A larger force hidden nearby rushed to join them and the castle was retaken.[44] The 100 English men of the garrison were all killed.[54]

David's Tower and the 15th century

The 1357 Treaty of Berwick brought the Wars of Independence to a close. David II resumed his rule and set about rebuilding Edinburgh Castle which became his principal seat of government.[55] David's Tower was begun around 1367, and was incomplete when David died at the castle in 1371. It was completed by his successor, Robert II, in the 1370s. The tower stood on the site of the present Half Moon Battery connected by a section of curtain wall to the smaller Constable's Tower, a round tower built between 1375 and 1379 where the Portcullis Gate now stands.[44][56]

A late-16th-century depiction of the castle, from Braun & Hogenberg's Civitates orbis terrarum, showing David's Tower at the centre

In the early 15th century, another English invasion, this time under

Chancellor of Scotland. In an attempt to gain the regency of Scotland, Crichton sought to break the power of the Douglases, the principal noble family in the kingdom. The 16-year-old William Douglas, 6th Earl of Douglas, and his younger brother David were summoned to Edinburgh Castle in November 1440. After the so-called "Black Dinner" had taken place in David's Tower, both boys were summarily executed on trumped-up charges in the presence of the 10-year-old King James II (r.1437–1460). Douglas' supporters subsequently besieged the castle, inflicting damage.[58] Construction continued throughout this period, 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, access to the castle was improved when the current approach road up the north-east side of the rock was created to allow easier movement of the royal artillery train in and out of the area now known as the Upper Ward.[56]

In 1479,

marched into Scotland with Richard, Duke of Gloucester (later King Richard III), and an English army. James III was trapped in the castle from 22 July to 29 September 1482 until he successfully negotiated a settlement.[58]

Edinburgh Castle as it may have looked before the Lang Siege of 1571–73, with David's Tower and the Palace block, centre and left

During the 15th century, the castle was increasingly used as an

hagbuts (another type of firearm) in the 1550s,[66] and by 1541 the castle had a stock of 413.[67]

Meanwhile, the royal family began to stay more frequently at the

Palace of Holyroodhouse, by the abbey, as his principal Edinburgh residence and the castle's role as a royal home subsequently declined.[58] James IV did, however, construct the Great Hall, which was completed in the early 16th century,[56] and the castle featured in his tournaments of the Wild Knight and the Black Lady.[68] His daughter Margaret Stewart was lodged in the castle with her servant Ellen More.[69]

16th century and the Lang Siege

Painting of a man with a red moustache
Sir William Kirkcaldy of Grange, who held the castle on behalf of Queen Mary during the Lang Siege of 1571–73. Painting by Jean Clouet

James IV was killed in battle at

Regent Arran came to Norham Castle and offered to let the English in.[72]

Refortification in 1548 included an earthen angle-bastion, known as the Spur, of the type known as

trace italienne, one of the earliest examples in Britain.[73] Brunstane Castle the home of the traitor Alexander Crichton was demolished to provide building materials.[74] The Spur may have been designed by Migliorino Ubaldini, an Italian engineer from the court of Henry II of France,[73] and was said to have the arms of France carved on it.[75] James V's widow, Mary of Guise, acted as regent from 1554 until her death at the castle in 1560.[58]

The following year, the

forced abdication of Mary at Lochleven Castle. She escaped and fled to England, but 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. Shortly after the Battle of Langside, in May 1568, Moray appointed Sir William Kirkcaldy of Grange Keeper of the Castle.[58]

A bird's-eye view of the castle surrounded by artillery
Detail from a contemporary drawing of Edinburgh Castle under siege in 1573, showing it surrounded by attacking batteries

Grange was a trusted lieutenant of the Regent, but after Moray's murder in January 1570 his allegiance to the King's cause began to waver. Intermittent civil war continued between the supporters of the two monarchs, and in April 1571 Dumbarton Castle fell to "the King's men". Under the influence of William Maitland of Lethington, Mary's secretary, Grange changed sides, occupying the town and castle of Edinburgh for Queen Mary, and against the new regent, the Earl of Lennox.[76] The stand-off which followed was not resolved until two years later, and became known as the "Lang Siege", from the Scots word for "long". Hostilities began in May, with a month-long siege of the town, and a second short siege in October. Blockades and skirmishing continued meanwhile, and Grange continued to refortify the castle. The King's party appealed to Elizabeth I of England for assistance, as they lacked the artillery and money required to reduce the castle, and feared that Grange would receive aid from France and the Duke of Alba in the Spanish Netherlands.[77] Elizabeth sent ambassadors to negotiate, and in July 1572 a truce was agreed and the blockade lifted. The town was effectively surrendered to the King's party, with Grange confined to the castle.[78]

The truce expired on 1 January 1573, and Grange began bombarding the town. His supplies of powder and shot, however, were running low, and despite having 40 cannons available, there were only seven gunners in the garrison.[79] The King's forces, now with the Earl of Morton in charge as regent, were making headway with plans for a siege. Trenches were dug to surround the castle, and St Margaret's Well was poisoned.[80] By February, all Queen Mary's other supporters had surrendered to the Regent, but Grange resolved to resist despite water shortages within the castle. The garrison continued to bombard the town, killing a number of citizens. They also made sorties to set fires, burning 100 houses in the town and then firing on anyone attempting to put out the flames.[81]

Painting of a man with dark hair and large moustache
Sir William Drury, commander of Elizabeth I of England's Protestant troops who brought the Lang Siege to an end in 1573. Unknown artist

In April, a force of around 1,000 English troops, led by Sir William Drury, arrived in Edinburgh. They were followed by 27 cannons from Berwick-upon-Tweed,[79] including one that had been cast within Edinburgh Castle and captured by the English at Flodden.[58] The English troops built an artillery emplacement on Castle Hill, immediately facing the east walls of the castle, and five others to the north, west and south. By 17 May these batteries were ready, and the bombardment began. Over the next 12 days, the gunners dispatched around 3,000 shots at the castle.[11] On 22 May, the south wall of David's Tower collapsed, and the next day the Constable's Tower also fell. The debris blocked the castle entrance, as well as the Fore Well, although this had already run dry.[11] On 26 May, the English attacked and captured the Spur, the outer fortification of the castle, which had been isolated by the collapse. The following day Grange emerged from the castle by a ladder after calling for a ceasefire to allow negotiations for a surrender to take place. When it was made clear that he would not be allowed to go free even if he ended the siege, Grange resolved to continue the resistance, but the garrison threatened to mutiny. He therefore arranged for Drury and his men to enter the castle on 28 May, preferring to surrender to the English rather than the Regent Morton.[82] Edinburgh Castle was handed over to George Douglas of Parkhead, the Regent's brother, and the garrison was allowed to go free.[83] In contrast, Kirkcaldy of Grange, his brother James and two jewellers, James Mossman and James Cokke, who had been minting coins in Mary's name inside the castle, were hanged at the Cross in Edinburgh on 3 August.[84]

Nova Scotia and Civil War

Much of the castle was subsequently rebuilt by Regent Morton, including the Spur, the new Half Moon Battery and the Portcullis Gate. Some of these works were supervised by William MacDowall, the master of work who fifteen years earlier had repaired David's Tower.[85] The Half Moon Battery, while impressive in size, is considered by historians to have been an ineffective and outdated artillery fortification.[86] This may have been due to a shortage of resources, although the battery's position obscuring the ancient David's Tower and enhancing the prominence of the palace block, has been seen as a significant decision.[87]

The battered palace block remained unused, particularly after James VI departed to become King of England in 1603.[88] James had repairs carried out in 1584, and in 1615–1616 more extensive repairs were carried out in preparation for his return visit to Scotland.[89] The mason William Wallace and master of works James Murray introduced an early Scottish example of the double-pile block.[90] The principal external features were the three, three-storey oriel windows on the east façade, facing the town and emphasising that this was a palace rather than just a place of defence.[91] During his visit in 1617, James held court in the refurbished palace block, but still preferred to sleep at Holyrood.[56]

Photo of a bronze plaque
Memorial plaque to Sir William Alexander, on the Castle Esplanade

In 1621, King James granted

Baronetage of Nova Scotia was created in 1624. Under Scots law, baronets 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 so distant, the King declared that sasine could be taken either in the new province or alternatively "at the castle of Edinburgh as the most eminent and principal place of Scotland."[92]

James' successor,

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 in 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 Spur was badly damaged and was demolished in the 1640s.[56] The Royalist commander James Graham, 1st Marquis of Montrose, was imprisoned here after his capture in 1650.[93]

In May 1650, the Covenanters signed the Treaty of Breda, allying themselves with the exiled Charles II against the English Parliamentarians, who had executed his father the previous year. In response to the Scots proclaiming Charles King, 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 enough supplies to hold out, allegedly from a desire to change sides.[93]

Garrison fortress: Jacobites and prisoners of war

An engraving of Edinburgh Castle made shortly before the creation of the Esplanade was begun in 1753

After his

Restoration in 1660, Charles II opted to maintain a full-time standing army based on Cromwell's New Model Army. From this time until 1923, a garrison was continuously maintained at the castle.[94] 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, when King Charles II settled old scores with his enemies following his return to the throne. Twenty years later, Argyll's son, the 9th Earl of Argyll, was also imprisoned in the castle for religious Nonconformism in the reign of King James VII. He escaped by disguising himself as his sister's footman, but was recaptured and returned to the castle after his failed rebellion to oust James from the throne in 1685.[93]

James VII was deposed and exiled by the

Viscount Dundee, intent on raising a rebellion in the Highlands, climbed up the western side of the Castle Rock to urge Gordon to hold the castle against the new King.[95] Gordon agreed, but during the ensuing siege he refused to fire upon the town, while the besiegers inflicted little damage on the castle. Despite Dundee's initial successes in the north, Gordon eventually surrendered on 14 June, due to dwindling supplies and having lost 70 men during the three-month siege.[96][97]

Painting of the castle under a stormy sky
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. On 8 September, just two days after the rising began, a party of around 100 Jacobite Highlanders, led by Lord Drummond, attempted to scale the walls with the assistance of members of the garrison. However, the rope ladder lowered by the castle sentries was too short, and the alarm was raised after a change of the watch. The Jacobites fled, while the deserters within the castle were hanged or flogged.[98] In 1728, General Wade reported that the castle's defences were decayed and inadequate,[93] and a major strengthening of the fortifications was carried out throughout the 1720s and 1730s. This was the period 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 the architect William Adam. They include the Argyle Battery, Mills Mount Battery, the Low Defences and the Western Defences.[99]

The last military action at the castle took place during the

George Preston, who refused to surrender.[100] 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. After several buildings had been demolished and four people killed, Charles called off the blockade.[101][102] The Jacobites themselves had no heavy guns with which to respond, and by November they had marched into England, leaving Edinburgh to the castle garrison.[103]

Over the next century, the castle vaults were used to hold prisoners of war during several conflicts, including the

American War of Independence (1775–1783) and the Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815).[104] During this time, several new buildings were erected within the castle, including powder magazines, stores, the Governor's House (1742),[105] and the New Barracks (1796–1799).[106]

19th century to the present

Drawing of the castle surrounded by crowds
King George IV waves from the battlements of the Half Moon Battery in 1822, drawn by James Skene

A mass prison break in 1811, in which 49 prisoners of war escaped via a hole in the south wall, persuaded the authorities that the castle vaults were no longer suitable as a prison. This use ceased in 1814

Prince Albert in 1861, the architect David Bryce put forward a proposal for a 50-metre (160 ft) keep as a memorial, but Queen Victoria objected and the scheme was not pursued.[110]

92nd Regiment of Foot (later Gordon Highlanders) while on garrison duty at the castle in 1845.[111]
Edinburgh Castle, waxed-paper negative by Thomas Keith, c. 1855. Department of Image Collections, National Gallery of Art Library, Washington DC

In 1905, responsibility for the castle was transferred from the

World Heritage Site inscribed by UNESCO in 1995, is described as "dominated by a medieval fortress".[118]

Description

The Castle dominates the city skyline

Edinburgh Castle is located at the top of the Royal Mile, at the west end of Edinburgh's Old Town. The volcanic Castle Rock offers a naturally defended position, with sheer cliffs to north and south, and a steep ascent from the west. The only easy approach is from the town to the east, and the castle's defences are situated accordingly, with a series of gates protecting the route to the summit of the Castle Rock.[119]

Plan of Edinburgh Castle
Key:
A Esplanade · B Gatehouse · C Ticket office · D Portcullis Gate & 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 · P Foog's Gate · Q Reservoirs · R Mons Meg · S Pet Cemetery · T St. Margaret's Chapel · U Half Moon Battery · V Crown Square · W Royal Palace · X Great Hall · Y Queen Anne Building · Z Scottish National War Memorial

Outer defences

In front of the castle is a long sloping forecourt known as the Esplanade. Originally the Spur, a 16th-century

Edinburgh Military Tattoo takes place annually. From the Esplanade the Half Moon Battery is prominent, with the Royal Palace to its left.[120]

Main gate from the Esplanade into the castle (with the gatehouse)

The

Gareth Hoskins Architects.[123] The road, built by James III in 1464 for the transport of cannon, leads upward and around to the north of the Half Moon Battery and the Forewall Battery, to the Portcullis Gate. In 1990, an alternative access was opened by digging a tunnel from the north of the esplanade to the north-west part of the castle, separating visitor traffic from service traffic.[124]

Portcullis Gate and Argyle Tower

The Portcullis Gate

The

Scots Baronial tower, designed by the architect Hippolyte Blanc, although the original Portcullis Gate remains below. The new structure was named the Argyle Tower, from the fact that the 9th Earl of Argyll had been held here prior to his execution in 1685.[128] Described as "restoration in an extreme form",[128] the rebuilding of the Argyle Tower was the first in a series of works funded by the publisher William Nelson.[128]

Just inside the gate is the Argyle Battery overlooking Princes Street, with Mills Mount Battery, the location of the One O'Clock Gun, to the west. Below these is the Low Defence, while at the base of the rock is the ruined Wellhouse Tower, built in 1362 to guard St. Margaret's Well.[129] This natural spring provided an important secondary source of water for the castle, the water being lifted up by a crane mounted on a platform known as the Crane Bastion.[130]

Military buildings

Governor's House (1742)

The areas to the north and west of the Argyle Tower are largely occupied by military buildings erected after the castle became a major garrison in the early 18th century.

Governor since the restoration of the post in 1936.[133]

The New Barracks (1799)

South of the Governor's House is the New Barracks, completed in 1799 to house 600 soldiers, and replacing the outdated accommodation in the Great Hall. They now house the Regimental Headquarters of the Royal Regiment of Scotland and the Regimental Headquarters of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys) as well as the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Museum. The latter was opened in 1995 by the regiment's Colonel, Queen Elizabeth II.[134] Also nearby, in the former Royal Scots drill hall, constructed in 1900, is the Regimental Museum of the Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment).[135] The military prison was built in 1842 as a detention block for the castle garrison and was extended in the 1880s. It was last used in 1923, when the garrison moved to the city's Redford Barracks.[109]

National War Museum of Scotland

Main article: National War Museum

West of the Governor's House, a store for munitions was built in 1747–48 and later extended to form a courtyard, in which the main gunpowder magazine also stood.

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 located in the Queen Anne Building.[137] It covers Scotland's military history over the past 400 years, and includes a wide range of military artefacts, such as uniforms, medals and weapons. The exhibits also illustrate the history and causes behind the many wars in which Scottish soldiers have been involved. Beside the museum is Butts Battery, named after the archery butts (targets) formerly placed here.[138] Below it are the Western Defences, where a postern, named the West Sally Port, gives access to the western slope of the rock.[139]

Upper Ward

Foog's Gate

The Upper Ward or Citadel occupies the highest part of the Castle Rock, and is entered via the late 17th-century Foog's Gate.

regimental mascots. Besides this, the Lang Stair leads down to the Argyle Battery, past a section of a medieval bastion,[122] and gives access to the upper storey of the Argyle Tower. The eastern end of the Upper Ward is occupied by the Forewall and Half Moon Batteries, with Crown Square to the south.[120]

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.

antiquary Daniel Wilson, while in use as part of the larger garrison chapel, and was restored in 1851–1852.[56] The chapel is still used for religious ceremonies, such as weddings.[141]

Mons Meg

Main article: Mons Meg
The siege gun Mons Meg, described in a 17th-century document as "the great iron murderer called Muckle-Meg" (muckle being Scots for 'big')

The 15th-century siege gun or

François II. The royal Treasurer's Accounts of the time record a payment to soldiers for retrieving one of her stones from Wardie Muir near the Firth of Forth, fully 2 miles (3 km) from the castle.[143] The gun has been defunct since its barrel burst while firing a salute to greet the Duke of Albany, the future King James VII and II, on his arrival in Edinburgh on 30 October 1681.[144]

Half Moon Battery and David's Tower

Half Moon Battery and Palace Block seen from the Esplanade

The Half Moon Battery, which remains a prominent feature on the east side of the castle, was built as part of the reconstruction works supervised by the Regent Morton, and was erected between 1573 and 1588.[122] The Forewall to the north was built between 1689 and 1695 to link the Half Moon to the Portcullis Tower, although part of the original wall of 1540 was incorporated into it.[122] The Half Moon Battery was built around and over the ruins of David's Tower, two storeys of which survive beneath, with windows facing out onto the interior wall of the battery. David's Tower was built on an L-plan, the main block being 51 by 38 feet (16 by 12 m), with a wing measuring 21 by 18 feet (6.4 by 5.5 m) to the west.[122] The entrance was via a pointed-arched doorway in the inner angle, although in the 16th century this was filled in to make the tower a solid rectangle. Prior to the Lang Siege, the tower was recorded as being 59 feet (18 m) high, and the remaining portions stand up to 49 feet (15 m) from the rock.[145]

The tower was rediscovered during routine maintenance work in 1912, and excavations below the Half Moon Battery revealed the extent of the surviving buildings. Several rooms are accessible to the public, although the lower parts are generally closed. Outside the tower, but within the battery, is a three-storey room, where large portions of the exterior wall of the tower are still visible, showing shattered masonry caused by the bombardment of 1573.[145] Beside the tower, a section of the former curtain wall was discovered, with a gun loop which overlooked High Street: a recess was made in the outer battery wall to reveal this gun loop. In 1912–1913 the adjacent Fore Well was cleared and surveyed and was found to be 110 feet (34 m) deep, mostly hewn through the rock below the castle.[145]

Crown Square

The Royal Palace in Crown Square

Crown Square, also known as Palace Yard, was laid out in the 15th century, during the reign of King James III, as the principal courtyard of the castle. The foundations were formed by the construction of a series of large stone vaults built onto the uneven Castle Rock in the 1430s. These vaults were used as a state prison until the 19th century, although more important prisoners were held in the main parts of the castle.[146] The square is formed by the Royal Palace to the east, the Great Hall to the south, the Queen Anne Building to the west, and the National War Memorial to the north.[147]

Royal Palace

The Royal Palace comprises the former royal apartments, which were the residence of the later

state apartments for the King and Queen were built.[149] On the ground floor is the Laich (low) Hall, now called the King's Dining Room, and a small room, known as the Birth Chamber or Mary Room, where James VI was born to Mary, Queen of Scots, on 19 June 1566. The commemorative painted ceiling and other decorations were added in 1617. On the first floor is the vaulted Crown Room, built in 1615 to house the Honours of Scotland: the crown, the sceptre and the sword of state.[150] The Stone of Scone, upon which the monarchs of Scotland were traditionally crowned, has been kept in the Crown Room since its return to Scotland in 1996. To the south of the palace is the Register House, built in the 1540s to accommodate state archives.[151]

Great Hall

Great Hall panoramic view-Edinburgh Castle

The Great Hall measures 29 by 12.5 metres (95 by 41 ft), and was the chief place of state assembly in the castle, although there is no evidence that the

Blois, France, of around 1515, indicating that the arts in Scotland were relatively advanced at this time.[152] It is one of only two medieval halls in Scotland with an original hammerbeam roof.[154]

Following

Hogmanay Live programme. To the south of the hall is a section of curtain wall from the 14th century with a parapet of later date.[122]

Queen Anne Building

The Queen Anne Building (centre-right)

In the 16th century, this area housed the kitchens serving the adjacent Great Hall, and was later the site of the Royal Gunhouse.

Staff Officers, but after the departure of the Army it was remodelled in the 1920s as the Naval and Military Museum, to complement the newly opened Scottish National War Memorial.[122] The museum later moved to the former hospital in the western part of the castle, and the building now houses a function suite and an education centre.[157]

Scottish National War Memorial

Main article: Scottish National War Memorial
The Scottish National War Memorial

The Scottish National War Memorial occupies a converted barrack block on the north side of Crown Square. It stands on the site of the medieval St. Mary's Church which was rebuilt in 1366, and was converted into an armoury in 1540. It was demolished in 1755, and the masonry reused to build a new North Barrack Block on the site.

stained-glass windows are by Douglas Strachan.[160]

The memorial commemorates Scottish soldiers, and those serving with Scottish regiments, who died in the two world wars and in more recent conflicts. Upon the altar within the Shrine, placed upon the highest point of the Castle Rock, is a sealed casket containing Rolls of Honour which list over 147,000 names of those soldiers killed in the First World War. After the Second World War, another 50,000 names were inscribed on Rolls of Honour held within the Hall, and further names continue to be added there.[159][161] The memorial is maintained by a charitable trust.[162]

Present use

Panoramic view from Edinburgh Castle, June 2024

Edinburgh Castle is in the ownership of the Scottish Ministers as heads of the devolved Scottish Government. The castle is run and administered, for the most part, by Historic Environment Scotland, an executive agency of the Scottish Government, although the Army remains responsible for some areas, including the New Barracks block and the military museums. Both Historic Environment Scotland and the Army share use of the Guardroom immediately inside the castle entrance.[1]

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

Tourist attraction

Historic Environment Scotland undertakes the dual tasks of operating the castle as a commercially viable tourist attraction, while simultaneously bearing responsibility for conservation of the site. Edinburgh Castle remains the most popular paid visitor attraction in Scotland, with over 2.2 million visitors in 2019.[6] Historic Environment Scotland maintains a number of facilities within the castle, including two cafés/restaurants, several shops, and numerous historical displays. An educational centre in the Queen Anne Building runs events for schools and educational groups, and employs re-enactors in costume and with period weaponry.[163]

Military role

Sentries guarding the Gatehouse

Direct administration of the castle by the

Governor of Edinburgh Castle is now a ceremonial post. The New Barracks contain both the Governor's House, which serves as the Officers' Mess, and the Regimental Headquarters of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The Army retains responsibility for these and for the Royal Scots Museum and Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Museum.[1][164]

Military tattoo

Main article: Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo
Royal Marines emerging from Edinburgh Castle during the military tattoo in 2005

A series of performances known as the Edinburgh Military Tattoo (since 2010 the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo) takes place on the Esplanade each year during August. The basis of each performance is a parade of the massed

pibroch in memory of dead comrades-in-arms, followed by massed bands joining in a medley of traditional Scottish tunes. The tattoo attracts an annual audience of around 217,000 people, and is broadcast in some 30 countries to a television audience estimated at 100 million.[165][166]

One O'Clock Gun

The One O'Clock Gun being fired from Mill's Mount Battery

The One O'Clock Gun is a

Time Ball', which was installed on the Nelson Monument in 1852, but was useless as a visual signal in foggy weather. Because sound travels relatively slowly (approximately 343 metres per second (770 mph)), a map was produced in 1861 to show the actual time when the sound of the gun would be heard at various locations across Edinburgh.[167]

The original gun was an 18-pound

L118 Light Gun, brought into service on 30 November 2001.[169]

On Sunday 2 April 1916, at an unknown time of day, the One O'Clock Gun was fired in vain at a German Zeppelin during an air raid, the gun's only known use in war.[170]

The gun is now fired from Mill's Mount Battery, on the north face of the castle, by the District Gunner from the

Tam the Gun", fired the One O'Clock Gun from 1979 until his retirement in January 2005. McKay helped establish the One O'Clock Gun Association, which opened a small exhibition at Mill's Mount, and published a book entitled What Time Does Edinburgh's One O'clock Gun Fire?[171] In 2006 Sergeant Jamie Shannon, nicknamed "Shannon the Cannon", became the 29th District Gunner,[172] and in 2006 Bombardier Allison Jones became the first woman to fire the gun.[173]

Symbol of Edinburgh

Alfred Buckham's "Aerial View of Edinburgh", from about 1920.

The castle has become a recognisable symbol of Edinburgh, and of Scotland.

Edinburgh Festival in the summer.[180]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d "Francesca Osowska to Mr Fergus Cochrane" (PDF). Scottish Government. November 2010. p. 2. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 November 2012. Retrieved 25 September 2012.
  2. ^ "Visits made in 2019 to visitor attractions in membership with ALVA". Association of Leading Visitor Attractions. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  3. ^ "Edinburgh Castle/Caisteal Dhùn Èideann". portal.historicenvironment.scot. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  4. ^ Caldwell, pp. 20–24.
  5. ^ a b "Pre-1750 Buildings in Edinburgh Old Town Conservation Area". City of Edinburgh Council, City Development Department. Archived from the original on 14 June 2012. Retrieved 30 September 2009.
  6. ^ a b "ALVA – Association of Leading Visitor Attractions". alva.org.uk. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
  7. ^ Lynn Jones Research Ltd. (28 January 2013). "Edinburgh Visitor Survey: Visitrac Survey Response Analysis" (PDF). City of Edinburgh Council. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 October 2017. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
  8. ^ McAdam, p. 16.
  9. ^ MacIvor (1993), p. 16.
  10. ^ Dunbar, p. 192.
  11. ^ a b c Potter, p. 137.
  12. ^ Harris, p. 11.
  13. ^ Moffat, pp. 268–270.
  14. ^ Andrew of Wyntoun, Orygynale Cronykil of Scotland, quoted in Masson, p. 1.
  15. ^ Geoffrey of Monmouth, pp. 78–79.
  16. ^ Stow, John, Generale Chronicle of England, quoted in Masson, p. 1.
  17. ^ Potter, p. 12.
  18. ^ Wilson (1887), p. 298.
  19. ^ Camden, William (1607). "Lauden or Lothien". Britannia. trans. Philemon Holland. Archived from the original on 7 April 2009. Retrieved 23 July 2009.
  20. ^ Halkerston, pp. 8–9: Gillies, p. 3.
  21. ^ Wilson claimed that Father Hay had "no better authority for this nunnery than the misleading name castellum Puellarum". Wilson (1891), vol. 1, p. 4, note 4.
  22. ^ McKean (1991), p. 1.
  23. ^ Grant (c. 1890), p. 15: McHardy, pp. 13–20.
  24. ^ Potter, p. 141.
  25. ^ Chalmers, cited in Chambers, pp. 35–36.
  26. ^ Macritchie.
  27. Dumbarton Rock and Kilmartin Glen
    .
  28. ^ Driscoll & Yeoman, p. 220.
  29. ^ Driscoll & Yeoman, pp. 222–223.
  30. ^ Driscoll & Yeoman, p. 226.
  31. ^ MacQuarrie, pp. 29–30.
  32. Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies
    . 37: 111.
  33. ^ MacIvor, p. 23.
  34. ^ MacQuarrie, p. 37.
  35. ^ Lynch, p. 46.
  36. ^ Driscoll & Yeoman, p. 227.
  37. ^ Tabraham (1997), p. 13.
  38. ^ a b MacIvor (1993), p. 28.
  39. ^ a b MacIvor (1993), p. 30.
  40. ^ See Lynch, pp. 79–83.
  41. ^ a b Tabraham (2008), p. 49.
  42. ^ Fernie, pp. 400–403.
  43. ^ a b Tabraham (1997), p. 23.
  44. ^ a b c d Salter, p. 46.
  45. ^ MacIvor (1993), p. 31.
  46. ^ a b MacIvor (1993), p. 33.
  47. ^ Tabraham (1997), p. 56.
  48. ^ Lynch, p. 120.
  49. ^ Cruden, pp. 70–71.
  50. ^ Douglas, A. A. H. (1964), The Bruce, Glasgow: William Maclennan, pp. 249–254.
  51. ^ Tabraham (2008), p. 50.
  52. ^ G W S Barrow, Robert Bruce, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh 1988, p.195 and Chapter 12.
  53. S2CID 153554882
    .
  54. ^ a b Tabraham (2008), p. 51.
  55. ^ Lynch, p. 136.
  56. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k McWilliam, et al.. pp. 85–89.
  57. ^ Tabraham (1997), p. 91.
  58. ^ a b c d e f g h i Salter, p. 47.
  59. ^ David Caldwell, Edinburgh Castle's Role as a Gun House (Historic Environment Scotland, 2018), p. 2.
  60. ^ a b Tabraham (1997), p.76.
  61. ^ Cruden, pp.206–208, although neither the 16th-century Holinshed's Chronicles nor Caldwell (pp.76–78) date Borthwick this early.
  62. ^ Caldwell, pp. 76–77.
  63. ^ Cruden, p. 209.
  64. ^ Mackenzie, W. Mackay (1931), The Secret of Flodden, Edinburgh: Grant & Murray, p. 50.
  65. ^ Caldwell, p. 81.
  66. ^ Caldwell, p. 78.
  67. ^ Cruden, p. 211.
  68. ^ Louise Olga Fradenburg, City, Marriage, Tournament: Arts of Rule in Late Medieval Scotland (University of Wisconsin, 1991), p. 230.
  69. ^ Kaufmann, Miranda, Black Tudors: The Untold Story (London, 2017), pp. 17–18.
  70. ^ MacIvor (1981), p. 105.
  71. ^ Accounts of the Treasurer of Scotland, vol. 8 (Edinburgh, 1908), p. 127.
  72. ^ Joseph Bain, Calendar State Papers Scotland: 1547–1563, vol. 1 (Edinburgh, 1898), p. 58.
  73. ^ a b Tabraham (1997), pp. 104–105.
  74. ^ Accounts of the Treasurer of Scotland, vol. 9 (Edinburgh, 1911), pp. xxviii, 161–3, 166–7, 172–3: Calendar State Papers Scotland, vol. 1 (Edinburgh, 1898), p. 93.
  75. ^ "Spain: July 1551, 16–31". Calendar of State Papers, Spain. 10: 330–341. Archived from the original on 9 September 2013. Retrieved 27 September 2010.
  76. ^ Potter, p. 56.
  77. ^ Potter, p. 100.
  78. ^ Potter, p. 105.
  79. ^ a b Potter, p. 131.
  80. ^ Potter, pp. 121–122.
  81. ^ Potter, p. 125.
  82. ^ Potter, pp. 139–140.
  83. ^ Gray, p. 45.
  84. ^ Potter, p.146: Pitcairn, vol.2, pp.45–46: "Elizabeth: August 1573, no.713". Calendar of State Papers, Scotland. 4: 604. 1905. Archived from the original on 21 August 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  85. ^ MacIvor (1993), p. 69.
  86. ^ MacIvor (1981), p. 146.
  87. ^ Howard, p. 35.
  88. ^ Tabraham (2008), p. 55.
  89. ^ Tabraham (2008), p. 52.
  90. ^ Howard, p. 81.
  91. ^ Howard, p. 38.
  92. ^ McGrail, p. 91.
  93. ^ a b c d Salter, p. 48.
  94. ^ MacIvor (1993), p. 82.
  95. ^ Scott, p. 101.
  96. ^ Gray, pp. 59–63.
  97. ^ Tabraham (2008), p. 58.
  98. ^ Gray, pp. 65–66.
  99. ^ Historic Environment Scotland. "Edinburgh Castle, Batteries, including Argyle, Dury's, Forewall, Half-Moon, and Western Defences (Category A Listed Building) (LB28010)". Retrieved 18 March 2019.
  100. ^ Gibson, p. 30.
  101. ^ Gibson, pp. 38–42.
  102. ^ Gray, p. 72.
  103. ^ Gibson, p. 56.
  104. ^ Tabraham (2004), pp. 25–35.
  105. ISBN 9781405353045
    .
  106. ^ MacIver 1993, p. 100.
  107. ^ Tabraham (2004), pp. 59–63.
  108. ^ a b Tabraham (2008), p. 60.
  109. ^ a b MacIvor (1993), p. 107.
  110. ^ Devine, p. 293.
  111. ^ "2nd Bn, The Gordon Highlanders: Service". 28 October 2007. Archived from the original on 28 October 2007. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
  112. ^ Tabraham (2008), p. 61.
  113. ^ Tabraham (2004), p. 63.
  114. ^ Gray, p. 79.
  115. ^ "Entry in the Schedule of Monuments: The Monument known as Edinburgh Castle". Historic Scotland. 1993. Archived from the original on 14 August 2011. Retrieved 19 March 2011.
  116. ^ "Listed buildings in Edinburgh Castle". Historic Scotland. Archived from the original on 4 June 2015.
  117. ^ "AES Solar installs PV at Edinburgh Castle". reNEWS – Renewable Energy News. 3 May 2022.
  118. ^ "Old and New Towns of Edinburgh". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. UNESCO. Archived from the original on 20 January 2013. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  119. ^ MacIvor (1993), pp. 136–138.
  120. ^ a b MacIvor (1993), p. 136.
  121. ^ MacIvor (1993), pp. 116–117.
  122. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Salter, p. 49.
  123. ^ "Edinburgh Castle opens new ticket office and launches official Edinburgh Castle website". Historic Scotland. 21 January 2008. Archived from the original on 12 February 2009. Retrieved 17 December 2008.
  124. ^ MacIvor (1993), p. 128.
  125. ^ MacIvor (1993), p. 67.
  126. ^ MacIvor (1993), p. 71.
  127. ^ McWilliam, et al.. p. 91.
  128. ^ a b c d MacIvor (1993), p. 114.
  129. ^ McWilliam, et al.. p. 89.
  130. RCAHMS. Archived
    from the original on 16 September 2011. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
  131. ^ MacIvor (1993), p. 89.
  132. ^ MacIvor (1993), p. 95.
  133. ^ Hardie, p.53
  134. ^ Hardie, p. 87.
  135. ^ Hardie, p. 92.
  136. ^ McWilliam, et al.. p. 102.
  137. ^ MacIvor (1993), p. 123.
  138. ^ Tabraham (2008), p. 38.
  139. ^ Tabraham (2008), p. 41.
  140. ^ Tabraham (2008), p. 18.
  141. ^ "Weddings at Edinburgh Castle". Historic Scotland. Archived from the original on 7 July 2013. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  142. ^ "Mons Meg". Edinburgh Castle website. Historic Scotland. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
  143. ^ Accounts of the Lord High Treasurer of Scotland. Vol. X. 1913. pp. lxxv–lxxvi, 367.
  144. ^ Grant (1850), p. 175.
  145. ^ a b c Oldrieve, pp. 230–270.
  146. ^ Tabraham (2004), pp. 10, 13.
  147. ^ MacIvor (1993), p. 137.
  148. ^ MacIvor (1993), p. 62.
  149. ^ MacIvor (1993), pp. 72–74.
  150. ^ MacIvor (1993), p. 51.
  151. ^ McWilliam et al, p. 94.
  152. ^ a b MacIvor (1993), pp. 49–50.
  153. ^ McWilliam et al., p.97, give 1511 as the completion date; MacIvor (1993), p.49, gives 1503, although both note that interpretations vary.
  154. ^ The other is at Darnaway Castle in Moray. Tabraham (1997), p. 73.
  155. ^ Tabraham (2008), p. 56.
  156. ^ MacIvor (1993), p. 90.
  157. ^ Tabraham (2008), p. 36.
  158. ^ MacIvor (1993), p. 98.
  159. ^ a b Henderson, Diana M. "History of the Scottish National War Memorial". Scottish National War Memorial. Archived from the original on 18 July 2011. Retrieved 19 March 2011.
  160. ^ McWilliam et al., pp. 99–100.
  161. ^ "Scottish National War Memorial". UK National Inventory of War Memorials. Archived from the original on 5 July 2008. Retrieved 3 May 2011.
  162. ^ "Scottish National War Memorial, SC009869". Scottish Charity Register. Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator. Archived from the original on 30 March 2012. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
  163. ^ "Costumed Performers". Edinburgh Castle website. Historic Scotland. Archived from the original on 7 August 2013. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  164. ^ "Edinburgh Castle". British Army. Archived from the original on 2 May 2008.
  165. ^ "About the Tattoo". Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Archived from the original on 25 December 2013.
  166. ^ "Edinburgh Tattoo 2014". Edinburgh Tattoo. Archived from the original on 8 September 2014.
  167. ^ "Time Gun-Maps". EdinPhoto. Archived from the original on 12 February 2009. Retrieved 16 December 2008.
  168. ^ "1952 – 25 Pounder". The One O'Clock Gun Association. Archived from the original on 4 December 2008. Retrieved 16 December 2008.
  169. ^ ""Tam the Gun" heralds the start of a new era as Edinburgh's new One O'Clock Gun is fired from the Castle". Edinburgh Military Tattoo. 30 November 2001. Archived from the original on 11 June 2002.
  170. ^ "When zeppelins rained terror". Scotland Magazine. Paragraph Publishing. June 2009. Archived from the original on 4 March 2014. Retrieved 4 March 2014. So desperate were the military for weapons that even the One O'Clock Gun was aimed skywards, the only time in its history since 1861 ever to see action. Not that this was much use, for the rounds were blanks as they always have been.
  171. ^ McKay, pp. 14–15
  172. ^ "Meet Shannon the Cannon". The Scotsman. 5 October 2006. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  173. ^ "Female first for One O'Clock Gun". BBC. 24 March 2006. Archived from the original on 31 March 2008. Retrieved 9 December 2013.
  174. ^ Tabraham (2008), p.63
  175. ISBN 9781844155712
    .
  176. ^ "5 Pounds Scotland's Banknote". Banknote World. Archived from the original on 29 May 2014. Retrieved 4 June 2013.
  177. ^ "Banknote Design Features : The Royal Bank of Scotland". The Committee of Scottish Bankers. Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 4 June 2013.
  178. ^ "Banknote Design Features : Clydesdale Bank World Heritage Series". The Committee of Scottish Bankers. Archived from the original on 6 October 2013. Retrieved 4 June 2013.
  179. ^ "Street party". Edinburgh's Hogmanay. Archived from the original on 29 November 2012.
  180. ^ "Virgin Money Fireworks Concert". Edinburgh International Festival. Archived from the original on 30 May 2013.

Bibliography

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Edinburgh Castle.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Edinburgh_Castle&oldid=1286146909"