We broke our fast in the hotel restaurant once more then placed a farewell call to the Roberts family who were flying off for their Arabian adventures today. It was then time to rug up and head back to the Castle.
Above the entrance to the castle reads Nemo me impune lacessit, the Latin motto of the Order of the Thistle and of the three Scottish regiments of the British Army
As per our usual custom, we arrived just before opening time and so were able to enjoy roaming around the castle before the later crowds descended. We tried to complete all the indoor sights first then spent time taking in the rather cool and gusty keep. In order to write about our time here I thought it would be easier to include a brief historical time line of Edinburgh Castle so that we were better able to piece together the story of the place.
Early History:
- Around 340 million BC castle rock was created by volcanic activity.
- The first archaeological evidence for human settlement on the castle found to be around 900 BC.
- Around AD 600 , 300 men gathered around their King, Mynyddog, in his stronghold Din Eidyn - a fortress on the rock.
- In AD 638 Din Eidyn was besieged and taken by the Angles and the place was renamed Edinburgh.
- In 1093 St Margaret of Scotland, the mother of King David I, died in the ‘Castle of Maidens’, Edinburgh.
- In around 1130 David I built a formidable royal castle on the rock including a chapel dedicated to his mother. The 12th century Chapel is the oldest building in the Castle. Queen Margaret was canonised in 1251 by Pope Innocent IV.
Inside Saint Margaret’s Chapel
Wars of Independence:
- In 1296 Edward I of England invaded Scotland, capturing the castle after a three-day siege.
This statue of Sir William Wallace one of the great leaders of the First War of Scottish Independence was added to the right side of Edinburgh Castle's gate in 1929. Born to a family of minor nobles, Wallace rose to become a skilled military commander fighting the English. On September 11, 1297, he commanded Scottish forces, along with Andrew de Moray, at the Battle of Stirling Bridge. Winning a stunning victory, Wallace was made Guardian of Scotland (de facto head of state). His rule lasted one year until he was defeated by the English at the Battle of Falkirk on July 22, 1298. Following the loss, he traveled to France to seek aid from the French court. Returning in 1303, he was captured by the English two years later and executed in London.
- In 1314 the Scots, under Robert the Bruce, recapture the castle.
Statue of Robert the Bruce, also placed at the castle entrance in 1929 to mark the 600th anniversary of his death.
A leader in Scotland's First War of Independence (1296-1328), Robert was crowned king of Scots March 25, 1306. In the years that followed, he led a successful guerrilla war that eventually reclaimed almost all of Scotland from the English. This conflict culminated with his stunning victory at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. Fourteen years later, he brought peace to the land following the English recognition of Scottish independence through the Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton.
- In 1334 the English retake the castle and in 1341 the Scots take it back again.
- In 1356 David II (the son of Robert the Bruce) orders the rebuilding of the castle. David’s Tower, his residence is named after him. While now in ruins it lies beneath the Half-Moon battery. David II died in the castle in 1371.
A Seat of Royal Power:
- The giant cannon Mons Meg arrived in the castle in 1457, a gift to James II.
This giant medieval siege gun was used in war against the English. The giant boy was added later!
In 1829
Mons Meg was returned from London and put on display.
- In 1511 James IV built the Great Hall.
The Hall was built as a majestic setting for ceremonial occasions. In 1650 it was converted into soldier’s barracks by Oliver Cromwell. It was restored in 1887 and is still used today for state and royal functions.
- In 1494 to 1540 The Sceptre and the Sword of State were presented to James IV by successive popes. The Honours of Scotland were completed when the Crown was made in its present form for James V.
Royal Apartments and Crown Room
- In 1566 Mary Queen of Scots gave birth in the castle to the future King James VI of Scotland and I of England.
- 1571 to 1573 saw the ‘Lang Siege’, which ends in the destruction of David’s Tower.
- From 1574 to 1578 the castle was rebuilt. The Half-Moon Battery and Portcullis Gate were added to reinforce its defences.
- From 1615 to 1617 the Royal Palace was extensively renovated for James VI’s visit to his birthplace for his 50th anniversary as king of Scots.
Laich Hall: created in its present form in 1617 to serve as an outer reception room and dining chamber for King James VI. It is still used for government functions today.
- In 1633 Charles I was the last monarch to sleep in the castle, on the night before his coronation as King of Scotland.
Royalty Under Threat:
- In 1650, having overthrown and executed Charles I, Oliver Cromwell invaded Scotland and captured the castle.
- From 1651 to 1660 The Honours of Scotland (Crown, Sword and Sceptre) were buried near Stonehaven, Kincardineshire, to save them from Cromwell
- In 1689 forces loyal to the exiled James VII (the Jacobites) held the castle against the new sovereigns, William and Mary, but were ultimately defeated.
- In 1715 during the third Jacobite Rising, the Jacobites almost broke in through the castle’s Western Defences.
- In 1745 Prince Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie) failed to capture the castle during the fifth and last Jacobite Rising. This was the castle’s last siege.
A Prison of War:
- From 1757 to 1814 thousands of prisoners of war – captured during the Seven Years War, the War of American Independence, the French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic Wars – were held in the castle.
(Interesting to note that the New Town of Edinburgh began in 1770)
The Making of a Monument:
- In 1818 the Honours of Scotland were rediscovered in the castle by the novelist Sir Walter Scott and put on public display.
(A cynic would see this as a set up as Sir Walter Scott not only was given permission to dig but also fairly much knew where they had been buried.)
- In 1861 The One O’Clock Gun was fired for the first time. This is fired at 1300 everyday except Sunday which happened to be the day we were visiting.
- 1887 to 1891 saw major development of the castle.
- In 1927 the Scottish National War Memorial was opened.
- In 1822 George IV visited the castle, the first ruling sovereign to do so in 189 years.
Modern Times:
- From 1941 to 1945 the Honours of Scotland were secretly buried in David’s Tower, in case of German invasion.
- In 1950 the first Edinburgh Military Tattoo was held on the Castle Esplanade
- In 1996 the Stone of Destiny is returned to Scotland and put on permanent display in the castle. (The Stone of Scone / Stone of Destiny is often referred to as the Coronation Stone. It has been used for centuries in the coronation of the monarchs of Scotland and later the monarchs of the UK. It was taken from Scone Abbey in 1296 by Edward I of England (otherwise known as Edward Longshanks) and used at Westminster Abbey for nearly 700 years in the coronation of English and latterly British monarchs. To great fanfare it was returned to Scotland on St Andrews Day 1996 and will only be returned to the Abbey for future coronation ceremonies. I think it pertinent to point out that this is an actual stone that sits under the coronation chair – yep, you have to really believe in the power of the monarch folks!)
- In 1999 Edinburgh Castle becomes the single most important building in the Edinburgh Old and New Town World Heritage Site.
- The castle is now Edinburgh’s most popular attraction, with more than 1.25 million visitors a year. (and now you can add to that four Robbs)
Edinburgh Castle is still in working use in that it is the barracks for the Scottish Regiments and the HQ of the 2nd Division. We only visited one museum today (that was enough) and I must say it was the bag piper that drew us in!
We stopped briefly at the gift shop to pick up a fridge magnet and Nathan was also tempted to try a true Scottish delicacy, “Irn Bru” softdrink. Did you know Scotland is the only country in the world where Coca Cola is not the highest selling soft drink?
Irn Bru…it will make a MAN out of you!
Fantastic! Loved the pic of Zac in the guard box, the hat is definitely - well lost for words.
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