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Edinburgh Castle is an ancient fortress which, from its position atop Castle Rock, dominates the sky-line of the city of Edinburgh, and is Scotland's second most visited tourist attraction, after the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow.[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 16th century, with the notable exception of St Margaret's Chapel, the oldest surviving building in Edinburgh, which dates from the early 12th century. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixels Full resolution (2560 × 1920 pixel, file size: 1. ...
Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixels Full resolution (2560 × 1920 pixel, file size: 1. ...
For other uses, see Edinburgh (disambiguation). ...
Princes Street Gardens is in Edinburgh, Scotland in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle which was once the sewage system, called the Nor Loch, for the city whos population lived in what modern times would call highrise flats (apartments). ...
Fortifications (Latin fortis, strong, and facere, to make) are military constructions designed for defensive warfare. ...
For other uses, see Edinburgh (disambiguation). ...
This article is about the country. ...
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is Glasgows premier museum and art gallery and has one of Europes great civic art collections. ...
“Glaswegian†redirects here. ...
(15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ...
St Margarets Chapel, Edinburgh St. ...
(11th century - 12th century - 13th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 12th century was that century which lasted from 1101 to 1200. ...
As with all castles, Edinburgh's fortress has been a centre of military activity. As an ancient fortress Edinburgh Castle is one of the few that still has a military garrison, albeit for ceremonial purposes, and 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 military governor is Major General David McDowall (late Royal Signals), GOC of the British Army's 2nd Division. Direct administration of the castle by the Ministry of Defence only came to an end in 1915 when the army moved to the city's Redford Barracks. Nevertheless, the Castle continues to have a strong connection with the Army. Sentries still stand watch at the castle gatehouse between 6pm and 9am, with responsibility for guarding the Honours of Scotland. Pierrefonds Castle, France. ...
The Royal Regiment of Scotland is the senior line infantry regiment and only Scottish regiment of the British Army Infantry. ...
The British 52nd Infantry Brigade is a British Army formation that has existed on and off since the early years of this century. ...
Official name The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment) Colonel-in-Chief Honorary-General HRH Mary, Princess Royal (1918) HRH Anne, Princess Royal (1983) Nicknames Pontius Pilates Bodyguard Motto Nemo me impune lacessit (Nobody touches me with impunity) Anniversaries Marches Quick March: Dumbartons Drums Slow March: Garb of Old...
The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys) (SCOTS DG) is the senior Scottish regiment of the British Army and Scotlands only cavalry regiment. ...
Insignia of a United States Air Force Major General German Generalmajor Insignia Major General is a military rank used in many countries. ...
This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...
General Officer Commanding (GOC) is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth (and some other) nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. ...
The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ...
The British 2nd Infantry Division has seen much service including fighting in Burma against the Japanese during World War II. See British 2nd Division (World War I) for the divisions World War I history. ...
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and the headquarters of the British Armed Forces. ...
Redford Infantry Barracks are located on Colinton Road east of the suburb of Colinton in Edinburgh, Scotland. ...
Sentry may refer to: A sentry is a guard at a gate or other point of passage. ...
The Honours of Scotland The Honours of Scotland, also known as the Scottish regalia and the Scottish crown jewels, dating from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, are the oldest set of Crown Jewels in the British Isles and are the second oldest in Europe. ...
Present management The Castle is now run and administered, for the most part, by Historic Scotland. Historic Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish Executive [2] and undertakes the dual (and sometimes mutually contradictory) tasks of operating the castle as a commercially viable tourist attraction whilst simultaneously having responsibility for conservation of the site. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (806x1075, 125 KB) I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ...
Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (806x1075, 125 KB) I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ...
The Duke of Orkney James Hepburn, Duke of Orkney, Marquess of Fife, 4th Earl of Bothwell, usually just referred to as Bothwell (~1535 - April 14, 1578) was the third husband of Mary I of Scotland. ...
Mary I of Scotland; known as Mary, Queen of Scots Mary I of Scotland (Mary Stuart or Stewart) (December 8, 1542 – February 8, 1587), better known as Mary, Queen of Scots, was the ruler of Scotland from December 14, 1542 – July 24, 1567. ...
Historic Scotland is the Scottish agency looking after historic monuments. ...
Below is a list of executive agencies of the Scottish Executive. ...
The Executives logo, shown with English and Scottish Gaelic caption The term Scottish Executive is used in two different, but closely-related senses: to denote the executive arm of Scotlands national legislature (i. ...
The ruins of Melrose Abbey, Scottish Borders Scotland is a well-developed tourist destination, with tourism generally being responsible for sustaining 200,000 jobs mainly in the service sector, with tourist spending averaging at £4bn per year [1]. Tourists from the United Kingdom make up the bulk of visitors to...
Historic Scotland maintain a number of attractions for visitors. There are two cafes/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. Reenactors of the American Civil War Historical reenactment is an activity in which participants recreate some aspects of a historical event or period. ...
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 121.92 metres (400 feet) above sea level, the Castle Rock is a classic example of a crag and tail formation. Basalt Basalt (IPA: ) is a common gray to black extrusive volcanic rock. ...
Volcanic plug near Rhumsiki, Far North Province, Cameroon A volcanic plug, also called a volcanic neck or lava neck, is a volcanic landform created when lava hardens within a vent on an active volcano. ...
An Extinct volcano is a volcano which is not currently erupting and which is not considered likely to erupt in the future. ...
The Carboniferous is a major division of the geologic timescale that extends from the end of the Devonian period, about 359. ...
‹ The template below (Unit of length) is being considered for deletion. ...
This article is about a foot as a unit of length. ...
The Abbey Craig, a crag with tail near The University of Stirling. ...
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. Scotland has an incomparable variety of geology for an area of its size. ...
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, 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 though, the inaccessibility of water was disastrous under siege conditions.
Earliest habitation[3] 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.[4] Ptolemy refers to a settlement of the Votadini known to the Romans as Alauna (rock place). A medieval artists rendition of Claudius Ptolemaeus Claudius Ptolemaeus (Greek: ; ca. ...
The Votadini (the WotÄdÄ«nÄ«, or VotÄdÄ«nÄ«) were a people of the Iron Age in Great Britain, and their territory was briefly part of the Roman province Britannia. ...
Motto Senatus Populusque Romanus (SPQR) The Roman Empire at its greatest extent. ...
More doubtful evidence of still earlier habitation is provided by Andrew of Wyntoun, an early chronicler of Scottish history. Wyntoun alludes to a king Ebrawce residing in the area 1,000 years before the Roman reference. If the story is to be believed, Ebrawce (from whom the name Edinburgh is, in this version of the story, said to have derived) had over fifty children by his twenty wives. On the site of Edinburgh castle he built a "Maiden's Castle" and “bygged Edynburghe wyth-alle.” The name of this mythical King Ebrawce however is more cognate with the hypothetical name of the sub-Roman Kingdom of York, Ebrauc. Andrew of Wyntoun (?1350-?1420), author of a long metrical history of Scotland, called the Orygynale Cronykil of Scotland, was a canon regular of St Andrews, and prior of St Serfs in Lochieven. ...
Stirling Castle has stood for centuries atop a volcanic crag defending the lowest ford of the River Forth. ...
York is a city in Yorkshire, in the North East of England. ...
It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with York. ...
Whilst there must be serious doubts about the veracity of Wyntoun's chronicle in this matter, an archaeological survey of the Castle in the late 1980s[5] does lend credence to the idea of the site having been settled during the late iron, (or early bronze) age. However, the extent of the finds were not particularly significant and insufficient to draw any very 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. Archaeology or sometimes in American English archeology (from the Greek words αρχαίος = ancient and λόγος = word/speech) is the study of human cultures through the recovery, documentation and analysis of material remains, including architecture, artefacts, biofacts, human remains, and landscapes. ...
Iron Age Axe found on Gotland This article is about the archaeological period known as the Iron Age, for the mythological Iron Age see Iron Age (mythology). ...
The Bronze Age is a period in a civilizations development when the most advanced metalworking has developed the techniques of smelting copper from natural outcroppings and alloys it to cast bronze. ...
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 debunk this view, it at least demonstrated that the position was somewhat more complex. Iron Age Axe found on Gotland This article is about the archaeological period known as the Iron Age, for the mythological Iron Age see Iron Age (mythology). ...
Traprain law from the Garleton Hills Traprain Law is a hill about 221m (724 feet) in elevation, located 6km (4 miles) east of Haddington in East Lothian, Scotland. ...
Arthurs Seat on a summer evening Arthurs Seat is the main peak of the group of hills which form most of Holyrood Park, a remarkably wild piece of highland landscape in the centre of the city of Edinburgh, about a mile to the east of Edinburgh Castle. ...
Duddingston is a former village in the east of Edinburgh, Scotland, next to Holyrood Park. ...
Inveresk is to the south of Musselburgh in East Lothian, Scotland. ...
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. A medieval artists rendition of Claudius Ptolemaeus Claudius Ptolemaeus (Greek: ; ca. ...
Gnaeus Julius Agricola (July 13, 40 - August 23, 93) was a Roman general responsible for much of the Roman conquest of Britain. ...
The Antonine Wall, looking east, from Barr Hill between Twechar and Croy The Antonine Wall, remains of Roman fortlet, Barr Hill, near Twechar Location of Hadrians Wall and the Antonine Wall in Scotland and Northern England. ...
Cramond is a village built on the east side of the River Almond where it enters the Firth of Forth forming a natural harbour, now a suburb of Edinburgh. ...
The Dark Ages The castle does not reappear in known historical records from the time of Ptolemy until around 600AD. 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[6] 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. The Brythonic languages (or Brittonic languages) form one of the two branches of the Insular Celtic language family. ...
Y Gododdin (The Gododdin), attributed to the 7th century poet Aneirin, is a series of 99 elegies to the men of the kingdom of Gododdin in north-eastern Britain who fell in the battle of Catraeth, thought to be Catterick in North Yorkshire, against the Angles, ca. ...
Gododdin (pronounced god-o-th-in), or Guotodin (Votadini in Latin), refers to both the people and to the region of a Dark Ages Brythonic kingdom south of the Firth of Forth, extending from the Stirling area to the Northumberland kingdom of Brynaich, and including what are now the Lothian...
White cliffs of Dover in England White cliffs of Rugen down the Baltic coast from Schleswig The Angles is a modern English word for a Germanic-speaking people who took their name from the cultural ancestor of Angeln, a modern district located in Schleswig, Germany. ...
Look up Yorkshire in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...
Brython and Brythonic are terms which refer to indigenous, pre-Roman, Celtic speaking inhabitants of most of the island of Great Britain, and their cultures and languages, the Brythonic languages. ...
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, it should be remembered that only the lower ward of the castle has been subject to thorough archaeological scrutiny. A midden, also known as kitchen middens, is a dump for domestic waste. ...
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. Of the fate of the settlement on the Castle Rock during this period though, little can be said.
The High Middle Ages - Further information: Scotland in the High Middle Ages
It is not until the latter half of the 11th century that the castle begins to emerge from the historical accounts. John of Fordun's account of the death of King Malcolm III places his widow, the future Saint Margaret, at the "Castle of Maidens" when she learns of his death in 1093. Dunnottar Castle in the Mearns occupies one of the best defensive locations in Great Britain. ...
John of Fordun (d. ...
Máel Coluim mac Donnchada (anglicised Malcolm III) (1030x1038–13 November 1093) was King of Scots. ...
Stained glass window image of Saint Margaret of Scotland in the small chapel at Edinburgh Castle Saint Margaret of Scotland, also known by her Anglo-Saxon name Margaret Ætheling (c. ...
Although it is somewhat anachronistic to speak of royal capitals during this period of Scottish history, Dunfermline rather than Edinburgh was the primary royal residence during the reign of Malcolm III. This began to change though during the reign of his youngest son King David I. ‹ The template below has been proposed for deletion. ...
King David I (or DabÃd mac MaÃl Choluim; also known as Saint David I or David I the Saint) (1084 – May 24, 1153), was King of Scotland from 1124 until his death, and the youngest son of Malcolm Canmore and of Saint Margaret (sister of Edgar Ætheling). ...
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, given that the first meeting of the Scottish Parliament occurred at the castle around 1140[7] it seems there were other, large buildings occupying the rock at this time. 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.[8] St Margarets Chapel, Edinburgh St. ...
The parliament of Scotland, officially the Estates of Parliament, was the legislature of the independent Kingdom of Scotland. ...
(14th century - 15th century - 16th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500. ...
(11th century - 12th century - 13th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 12th century was that century which lasted from 1101 to 1200. ...
Points of interest At the top of the Royal Mile, in front of the castle, is a long sloping forecourt known as the Esplanade. It is upon this Esplanade that the famous Edinburgh Military Tattoo takes place annually. From the Esplanade may be seen the Half Moon Battery, which is a dominant feature visible in Nasmyth's painting. This drum-shaped building, 1574, incorporates parts of the keep of 1364, known as David's Tower. Much of the Royal Mile is cobbled, as seen in this view looking east down the High Street past the old Tron Kirk. ...
St Clair Beach and esplanade, Dunedin, New Zealand Promenade at Rizal Boulevard in Dumaguete City, Philippines. ...
The 2005 Edinburgh Military Tattoo celebrated Trafalgar 200 The Edinburgh Military Tattoo is a show given by military bands and display teams in the Scottish capital Edinburgh. ...
This page includes variants Nasmith and Nasmyth. ...
The castle proper is entered through a gatehouse in front of the Half Moon Battery. The road leads upward and around to the right of the battery and through an older portcullis gatehouse, to reach the courtyard known as Crown Square. Counterweights for the sliding portcullis A portcullis is a grille or gate made of wood, metal or a combination of the two. ...
David's Tower David's Tower was commissioned in 1386 by Robert the Bruce's son, David II of Scotland. David's tower was enormous by standards of the time, standing on the site of the present Half Moon Battery at 30 m high, with three stories (twice as high as the Half Moon Battery). The tower initially served as the principal entrance to the castle, but by later years the tower was expanded to include many more rooms for guests and visiting nobility, and the original main entrance became boxed off by a guest room. Robert I, King of Scots, usually known as Robert the Bruce (July 11, 1274 – June 7, 1329, reigned 1306 – 1329), was, according to a modern biographer (Geoffrey Barrow), a great hero who lived in a minor country. ...
David II (March 5, 1324 – February 22, 1371) king of Scotland, son of King Robert the Bruce by his second wife, Elizabeth de Burgh (d. ...
When the Catholic Mary, Queen of Scots, married James Hepburn in 1567, a large proportion of the (Protestant) nobility rebelled, resulting ultimately in the imprisonment of Mary in Loch Leven Castle. Although she eventually escaped and fled to England, some of the nobility remained faithful to Mary, retaining Edinburgh Castle. Sir William Kirkcaldy of Grange held the castle under the Lang Siege (Long Siege) for a year, until 1573, when the infant King James VI's regent, Regent Morton, requested assistance from Queen Elizabeth I of England. Heavy guns were dispatched to the castle from Berwick, and within ten days of the commencement of the bombardment of the castle with these guns in May of that year, David's Tower collapsed. Mary, Queen of Scots is the name of: Mary I of Scotland, the former queen of France and Scotland executed by her cousin Elizabeth I of England Mary, Queen of Scots (movie), a 1971 film about that queen starring Vanessa Redgrave Mary, Queen of Scots (1969 book), a 1969 book...
The Duke of Orkney James Hepburn (~1535 - April 14, 1578) was the 4th Earl of Bothwell and 1st Duke of Orkney. ...
Loch Leven Castle is a castle on an island at in Loch Leven in the Perth and Kinross region of Scotland. ...
Motto (French) God and my right Anthem No official anthem specific to England — the anthem of the United Kingdom is God Save the Queen. See also Proposed English National Anthems. ...
Sir William Kirkcaldy of Grange (c. ...
James VI and I King of England, Scotland and Ireland James VI of Scotland and I of England (Charles James) (19 June 1566–27 March 1625) was a King who ruled over England, Scotland and Ireland, and was the first Sovereign to reign in the three realms simultaneously. ...
Regent, from the Latin, a person selected to administer a state because the ruler is a minor or is not present or debilitated. ...
James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton (c. ...
Elizabeth I (7 September 1533 – 24 March 1603) was Queen of England and Queen of Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. ...
Map sources for Berwick-upon-Tweed at grid reference NT9952 Berwick-upon-Tweed from across the river Berwick-upon-Tweed, (pronounced Berrick) situated in the county of Northumberland, is the northernmost town in England, situated on the east coast on the mouth of the river Tweed. ...
The collapse of this tower blocked off the single source of water for the castle, the well, and within a few days the castle surrendered, around two weeks after the arrival of the new guns. Sir William was soon hanged, and much of the castle rebuilt, including the new Half Moon Battery.
Half Moon Battery The Half Moon Battery was duly constructed on the site of the old David's Tower. This magnificent 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, 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 this sections are correspondingly pitted with chunks of stone removed to provide nesting places for the birds. The Half Moon Battery was completed in 1588.
Crown Square
 Stained Glass in the Great Hall Crown Square is the citadel at the top of the castle. 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. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2304x3072, 1140 KB) I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ...
Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2304x3072, 1140 KB) I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ...
The King's Lodging These are the former Royal Apartments, dating from the 15th century and including a small room known as Birth Chamber or Mary Room where King James VI of Scotland, who was to become James I of England was born to Mary, Queen of Scots. Mary, through claiming the throne of England, incited the anger of her cousin, Elizabeth I of England, who had her captured, imprisoned and eventually beheaded. James VI and I King of England, Scotland and Ireland James VI of Scotland and I of England (Charles James) (19 June 1566–27 March 1625) was a King who ruled over England, Scotland and Ireland, and was the first Sovereign to reign in the three realms simultaneously. ...
Mary, Queen of Scots is the name of: Mary I of Scotland, the former queen of France and Scotland executed by her cousin Elizabeth I of England Mary, Queen of Scots (movie), a 1971 film about that queen starring Vanessa Redgrave Mary, Queen of Scots (1969 book), a 1969 book...
List of monarchs of the Kingdom of England is a list of the monarchs of the Kingdom of England. ...
This article is about Elizabeth I of England. ...
The Great Hall The Great Hall of the Castle was built in 1511 on the orders of King James IV. It has a hammer beam roof. It was used for meetings of the Parliament of Scotland prior to the building of Parliament Hall next to St Giles Cathedral in 1639. The Great Hall is still sometimes used for ceremonial occasions. James IV (March 17, 1473 – September 9, 1513) was King of Scots from 1488 to 1513. ...
The parliament of Scotland, officially the Estates of Parliament, was the legislature of the independent Kingdom of Scotland. ...
The Robert Reid designed facade to Parliament Square Parliament House in Edinburgh, Scotland, was home to the pre-1707 Parliament of Scotland, and now houses the Supreme Courts of Scotland. ...
St Giles Cathedral A prominent feature of the Edinburgh skyline, St Giles Cathedral decorates the midpoint of the Royal Mile with its rounded hollow-crown tower. ...
The Crown Room This vaulted chamber contains the Honours of Scotland. These are the Crown jewels and regalia. They include the crown, 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, and 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 Honours of Scotland The Honours of Scotland, also known as the Scottish regalia and the Scottish crown jewels, dating from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, are the oldest set of Crown Jewels in the British Isles and are the second oldest in Europe. ...
The Crowns modern usage: The Crown of Scotland at the opening of the Scottish Parliament Building at Holyrood in 2004. ...
General Name, Symbol, Number gold, Au, 79 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11, 6, d Appearance metallic yellow Standard atomic weight 196. ...
Freshadama grade cultured freshwater pearls. ...
This article is about the gemstone. ...
A selection of gemstone pebbles made by tumbling rough rock with abrasive grit, in a rotating drum. ...
Quartz (from German Quarz[1]) is the second most common mineral in the Earths continental crust. ...
The Stone of Scone, (pronounced scoon) also commonly known as the Stone of Destiny or the Coronation Stone (though the former name sometimes refers to Lia Fáil) is a block of sandstone historically kept at the now-ruined abbey in Scone, near Perth, Scotland. ...
The Kingdom of Scotland (Alba) was first unified as a state by Kenneth I of Scotland (Kenneth MacAlpin) in 843. ...
King Edwards Chair, sometimes known as St. ...
The Collegiate Church of St Peter, Westminster, which is almost always referred to by its original name of Westminster Abbey, is a mainly Gothic church, on the scale of a cathedral (and indeed often mistaken for one), in Westminster, London, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. ...
Scottish National War Memorial
 The Scottish National War Memorial in Crown Square The Scottish National War Memorial was built after World War I to commemorate Scots and those serving with Scottish regiments who had died in the war and subsequent conflicts. It was designed by Sir Robert Lorimer and was formally opened on 14th July 1927. The stained glass windows are by Douglas Strachan. Image File history File links National_War_Museum_of_Scotland. ...
Image File history File links National_War_Museum_of_Scotland. ...
“The Great War †redirects here. ...
A Scottish regiment is any regiment (or similar military unit) that at some time in its history has or had a name that referred to Scotland or some part, thereof, and adopted items of Scottish dress. ...
Robert Lorimer at work in the office of Sir Robert Rowand Anderson. ...
Strictly speaking, stained glass is glass that has been painted with silver stain and then fired. ...
Dr Douglas Strachan (1875-1950). ...
As a mark of respect photography is prohibited within this building.
Scottish National War Memorial website.
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. 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. The National War Museum of Scotland is housed in Edinburgh, Scotland, and forms part of the National Museums of Scotland. ...
The National Museums of Scotland are: The Royal Museum of Scotland - a general museum encompassing geology, archaeology, natural history, science, technology and art. ...
The Thin Red Line of 1854. ...
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, Margaret, who died in the castle in 1093. Image File history File links St_Margrets_Chapel. ...
Image File history File links St_Margrets_Chapel. ...
St Margarets Chapel, Edinburgh St. ...
King David I (or DabÃd mac MaÃl Choluim), known as the Saint (1084 – May 24, 1153), was king of Scotland from 1124 until his death, and the youngest son of Malcolm Canmore and of Saint Margaret (sister of Edgar Ætheling). ...
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. Robert I, King of Scots, usually known as Robert the Bruce (July 11, 1274 – June 7, 1329, reigned 1306 – 1329), was, according to a modern biographer (Geoffrey Barrow), a great hero who lived in a minor country. ...
Thomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Moray (d. ...
Combatants Kingdom of Scotland Kingdom of England Commanders Robert Bruce Edward II Strength about 6,500 20,000 Casualties unknown but light about 9000 First War of Scottish Independence Dunbar – Stirling Bridge – Falkirk – Roslin – Happrew – Stirling Castle – Methven – Dalry – Glen Trool – Loudoun Hill – Slioch – Inverurie – Pass of Brander – Bannockburn – Connor...
Edward II, (25 April 1284 – 21 September 1327), of Caernarfon, was King of England from 1307 until deposed in January, 1327. ...
This building is still used for various religious ceremonies such as weddings and christenings, it is said to hold approximately 25 people.
Mons Meg -
The great fifteenth century siege gun Mons Meg can be seen today outside St. Margaret's Chapel. 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 kg (330lbs) 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 the 14th of October 1681 when firing a birthday salute for the Duke of Albany. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixels Full resolution (2816 × 2112 pixel, file size: 990 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Edinburgh Castle Metadata This file...
Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixels Full resolution (2816 × 2112 pixel, file size: 990 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Edinburgh Castle Metadata This file...
Mons Meg is a large bombard now located at Edinburgh Castle. ...
(14th century - 15th century - 16th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500. ...
Replica battering ram at Château des Baux, France. ...
A bombard, Malbork Castle A bombard is a type of medieval cannon or mortar, used chiefly in sieges for throwing heavy stone balls. ...
The Palm House in the Royal Botanic Gardens The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is both a scientific institution and a tourist attraction. ...
Mary I (popularly known as Mary, Queen of Scots: French: ); (December 8, 1542 – February 8, 1587) was Queen of Scots (the monarch of the Kingdom of Scotland) from December 14, 1542, to July 24, 1567. ...
Coat of Arms of the Dauphins of France. ...
Francis II (French: François II) (January 19, 1544 – December 5, 1560) was a King of France (1559 – 1560). ...
James II of England (also known as James VII of Scotland; 14 October 1633 – 16 September 1701) became King of England, King of Scots, and King of Ireland on 6 February 1685, and Duke of Normandy on 31 December 1660. ...
Traditions
Military function Although the castle is a tourist attraction, it still has a function as a military headquarters of the British Army. The main barrack block houses the headquarters of the 52nd Infantry Brigade, the Regimental Headquarters of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, and the Headquarters and museum of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys). Also within the Castle is the museum of the Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment). Both museums are open to the public and entrance is free (for those already within the castle). Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1600x1200, 707 KB) Picture taken on 180506. ...
Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1600x1200, 707 KB) Picture taken on 180506. ...
The British 52nd Infantry Brigade is a British Army formation that has existed on and off since the early years of this century. ...
The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ...
The British 52nd Infantry Brigade is a British Army formation that has existed on and off since the early years of this century. ...
The Royal Regiment of Scotland is the senior line infantry regiment and only Scottish regiment of the British Army Infantry. ...
The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys) (SCOTS DG) is the senior Scottish regiment of the British Army and Scotlands only cavalry regiment. ...
The Royal Scots were the oldest, and therefore most senior, infantry regiment of the line in the British Army, having been raised in 1633 during the reign of Charles I of Scotland. ...
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. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1200x900, 731 KB) Pipers emerging from Edinburgh Castle during the Edinburgh Military Tattoo. ...
Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1200x900, 731 KB) Pipers emerging from Edinburgh Castle during the Edinburgh Military Tattoo. ...
The Royal Marines (RM), are the Royal Navys elite fighting forces. ...
The 2005 Edinburgh Military Tattoo celebrated Trafalgar 200 The Edinburgh Military Tattoo is a show given by military bands and display teams in the Scottish capital Edinburgh. ...
Pipes and drums are synonymous with pipe band, and both commonly refer to bands comprised of musicians who play the Scottish Highland bagpipes and drums. ...
A Scottish regiment is any regiment (or similar military unit) that at some time in its history has or had a name that referred to Scotland or some part, thereof, and adopted items of Scottish dress. ...
Alternative meaning: Kung Fu (TV series) Kung fu or gongfu (功夫, Pinyin: gōngfu) is a well-known Chinese term used in the West to designate Chinese martial arts. ...
Look up Piper in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...
A pibroch (pÄ—`brÇ’ox) is an ancient type of music, native to the Scottish Highlands and performed exclusively on the Great Highland Bagpipe. ...
One O'Clock Gun 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 means to check their marine chronometers. Image File history File links One_OClock_Gun. ...
Image File history File links One_OClock_Gun. ...
The Firth of Forth from Calton Hill The Forth Bridges cross the Firth Satellite photo of the Firth and the surrounding area Map of the Firth Firth of Forth (Scottish Gaelic: Linne Foirthe) is the estuary or firth of Scotlands River Forth, where it flows into the North Sea...
A marine chronometer is a timekeeper precise enough to be used as a portable time standard, used to determine longitude by means of celestial navigation. ...
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. Robert Wauchope, (1788-1862) admiral and inventor of the time ball, was the fifth son of Andrew Wauchope (d. ...
The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore the Senior Service). ...
The timeball at Greenwich is shown in the top right of picture A time ball is a large metal or painted wooden ball, visible to shipping, that drops at a predetermined time to enable sailors to set their chronometers. ...
Nelsons Monument, Edinburgh Nelsons Monument is a commemorative tower to Admiral Horatio Nelson, situated on top of Calton Hill, Edinburgh. ...
Calton hill is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in Derbyshire, showing Olivine Diorite magma chamber. ...
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 couldn't be seen in foggy weather.
 The One O'Clock Gun Firing So, in the same year the gun was fired simultaneously to the time ball dropping. Originally an 18-pound muzzle loading cannon which needed four men to load and fire was fired from the Half Moon Battery. Image File history File links One_OClock_Gun. ...
Image File history File links One_OClock_Gun. ...
The gun could be easily heard by ships in Leith Harbour (2 miles 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. The Water of Leith looking upriver from the docks, with the old buildings along Leith Shore including The Kings Wark and The Old Ship Hotel and Kings Landing. ...
Ordnance QF 25 pounder Type gun-howitzer Nationality UK Era World War II Target general use + anti-tank History Date of design 1930s Production period Number built Service duration 1930s to 1967 Operators War service Specifications Carriage Fixed trail Calibre 3. ...
The L118 Light Gun is a 105 mm towed howitzer, originally produced for the British Army in the 1970s and widely exported since, including to the United States, where a modified version is known as the M119A1. ...
105th Regiment Royal Artillery (Volunteers) The Scottish & Ulster Gunners is a British Territorial Army (TA) Regiment of the Royal Artillery. ...
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 Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. The Order includes five classes in civil and military divisions; in decreasing order of seniority, these are Knight Grand Cross or Dame Grand Cross (GBE) Knight Commander...
Hogmanay (pronounced — with the main stress on the last syllable - hog-muh-NAY) is the Scots word for the last day of the year and is synonymous with the celebration of the New Year (Gregorian calendar) in the Scottish manner. ...
The Gun is also fired to mark the arrival of the New Year as part of Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations. The New Year is an event that happens when a culture celebrates the end of one year and the beginning of the next year. ...
Link with Nova Scotia In 1621, King James VI 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. 1621 was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 10-day slower Julian calendar). ...
James Stuart (19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scots as James VI, and King of England and King of Ireland as James I. He ruled in Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567, when he was only one year old. ...
For others with similar names, see: William Alexander (disambiguation). ...
North America North America is a continent[1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ...
This article is about the region in the United States of America. ...
For other uses, see Newfoundland (disambiguation). ...
Motto: Munit Haec et Altera Vincit(Latin) One defends and the other conquers Capital Halifax Largest city Halifax Regional Municipality Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor Mayann E. Francis - Premier Rodney MacDonald (PC) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 11 - Senate seats 10 Confederation July 1, 1867 (1st) Area...
// This article is about crop plantations. ...
The Baronetage of Nova Scotia was devised in 1624 as a means of settling the plantation of that province. ...
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. Scots law is a unique legal system with an ancient basis in Roman law. ...
A baronet (traditional abbreviation Bart, modern abbreviation Bt) or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess (abbreviation Btss), is the holder of a hereditary title awarded by the British Crown known as a baronetcy. ...
For other uses, see Patent (disambiguation). ...
Seisin (from Middle English saysen, seysen, in the legal sense of to put in possession of, or to take possession of, hence, to grasp, to seize; the Old French seisir, saisir, is from Low Lat. ...
A merk was a Scottish silver coin. ...
Trivia John Allan (1747-1805) was an officer of the Massachusetts Militia in the American Revolutionary War. ...
Combatants United States (United Colonies prior to July 1776) France Spanish Empire Dutch Republic Polish volunteers Quebec volunteers Prussian volunteers Oneida Tuscarora Great Britain Loyalists Hessian mercenaries Iroquois Confederacy Duchy of Brunswick Commanders George Washington Nathanael Greene Gilbert de La Fayette Comte de Rochambeau Bernardo de Gálvez Tadeusz Ko...
Queen Victoria (shown here on the morning of her accession to the Throne, 20 June 1837) gave her name to the historic era The Victorian era of the United Kingdom marked the height of the British Industrial Revolution and the apex of the British Empire. ...
The Debt Collector is a 1999 thriller, directed by Anthony Neilsen and starring Billy Connolly, Ken Stott and Francesca Annis. ...
William Billy Connolly, CBE, (born 24 November 1942) is a Scottish comedian, musician, presenter, and actor. ...
References and footnotes - ^ "The refurbished Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum has knocked Edinburgh Castle off the top spot as Scotland's busiest tourist attraction.", BBC News Scotland, accessed 3 May 2007
- ^ Scottish Cabinet page
- ^ Details of Scotland's earliest history of human habitation can be found in the Prehistoric Scotland article.
- ^ cf. Stuart, H. Place Names of Edinburgh p.1
- ^ Driscoll & Yeoman Excavations within Edinburgh Castle in 1988-91
- ^ It has been suggested that this is not in fact a proper name of a ruler at all, but rather adjectives used to refer to the warband as a whole. For further discussion cf. Koch Thoughts on the Ur-Goddodin in Language Sciences 15 (1993), 81 and Issac Mynyddogg Mwynfawr in Bull Board Celtic Studies, 37 (1990) 111
- ^ Historic Scotland Edinburgh Castle p.49
- ^ Fernie Early Church Architecture in Scotland Proceedings of the Antiquarian Society of Scotland, 116 (1986) 393
- ^ (1967) Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896. Marquis Who's Who.
BBC News is the department within the BBC responsible for the corporations news-gathering and production of news programmes on BBC television, radio and online. ...
Bibliography - This bibliography refers only to books used. Additional material drawn from Journal articles are cited, as used, amongst the references and footnotes above.
Driscoll & Yeoman Excavations within Edinburgh Castle in 1988-91 ISBN 0903903121
Harpers Handbooks Harpers Handbook to Edinburgh (1981) ISBN 0907686001
Harris, Stewart The Place Names of Edinburgh: Their Origins and History ISBN 1904246060
Historic Scotland Edinburgh Castle : Official Guide ISBN 1903570336
Scott-Moncrieff Edinburgh ISBN 0050018299
See also Castles in Scotland is a link page for any castle in Scotland. ...
The Thin Red Line of 1854. ...
External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Coordinates: 55°56′55″N 3°12′03″W / 55.94861, -3.20083 Image File history File links Commons-logo. ...
Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...
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