Dunbar Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dunbar Castle |
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| Dunbar, East Lothian, Scotland | |
Dunbar harbour and castle ruins
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 Dunbar Castle
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| Coordinates | 56°00′20″N 2°31′03″W / 56.0056°N 2.5176°W |
| Type | Castle of enceinte |
| Site information | |
| Open to the public |
No |
| Condition | Ruined |
| Site history | |
| Built | first stone castle c.1070 |
| Built by | Gospatric, Earl of Northumbria |
| In use | Until 1567 |
Dunbar Castle was once one of the strongest castles in Scotland. It stands in a great spot overlooking the harbour in the town of Dunbar, East Lothian. Many forts were built here over time, especially because it was so close to the border with England. The last castle was mostly destroyed in 1567, and today it is a ruin.
Contents
A Look Back: Early History of Dunbar Castle
The first people to defend this spot were likely the Votadini or Gododdin. The name dyn barr means 'the fort of the point' in their old language. By the 600s, Dunbar Castle was a key defense for the Kings of Bernicia, an Anglian kingdom.
Northumbrian Rule
In the early Middle Ages, Dunbar Castle was controlled by a powerful leader called an Ealdorman. This leader answered to the Kings at Bamburgh Castle or later the Kings of York. In 678, a famous religious leader, Saint Wilfrid, was even held prisoner at Dunbar.
Later, it's said that Kenneth MacAlpin, King of the Scots, burned Dunbar. He was definitely in charge of the castle at one point.
Becoming Part of Scotland
In the 900s and early 1000s, Norsemen (Vikings) often attacked Scotland. In 1005, a man named Patrick de Dunbar fought against them.
The first stone castle was probably built by Gospatric, Earl of Northumbria. He came to Scotland after being forced out of England by William the Conqueror. Gospatric was a powerful landowner. King Malcolm III of Scotland gave him more land in East Lothian in return for his loyalty. This was part of the feudal system, where land was given for service.
A very famous event happened in June 1338. Sir Alexander Ramsay of Dalhousie helped the Countess of Dunbar, also known as "Black Agnes of Dunbar." Together, they bravely defended the castle against a long siege by the English army led by William Montagu, 1st Earl of Salisbury.
Exploring the Castle's Structure
The castle buildings were huge, stretching over 165 feet from east to west. In some places, they were up to 210 feet from north to south.
Key Parts of the Castle
The South Battery, which might have been the main tower or keep, stood on its own tall rock. It was 72 feet high and could only be reached from one side. A stone walkway connected it to the rest of the castle. Inside, this main tower was shaped like an octagon. You can still see five "arrow-holes," which were actually gun-ports for cannons. These openings were wide on the outside and narrow on the inside.
In the middle of the castle, part of a wall remains. It has a gateway with special designs above it. This gate likely led to the main rooms. In the center, you can see the coat of arms of George, 10th Earl of Dunbar. He inherited the castle in 1369. His shield shows a lion standing on its hind legs, surrounded by eight roses. There's also a helmet with a horse's head on top. On either side are the arms of the Bruces and the Isle of Man.
Secret Passages and Dungeons
The castle towers reached down to the sea in many places. To the northeast, there's a large natural cave made of black stone. People thought this dark cave might have been part of the dungeon where prisoners were kept. For example, Gavin Douglas, a bishop, was held here in 1515.
There's also a hidden back entrance that leads to a rocky inlet from the sea. It's believed that Sir Alexander Ramsay and his men used this secret passage in 1338 to bring supplies to the castle during the siege.
The castle was known for being very strong and hard to capture. It was built with a red stone, similar to stone found nearby. Some parts of the fallen walls look like they were melted together. In the northwest part of the ruins, there's a small room, about twelve feet square, that is hard to get to. Legend says this was the room of Mary, Queen of Scots.
Later Years of Dunbar Castle
Dunbar Castle remained the main home of the Earls of Dunbar until 1457. At that time, the castle was partly taken apart to stop the English from using it. However, James IV of Scotland later rebuilt it. In the late 1400s, new roofs were added, and iron window grates called "yetts" were installed.
The castle then came under the control of the Duke of Albany. During his time, a new strong wall was built on the west side. He also made more repairs in 1527.
James V often visited the castle in 1537. He oversaw the placement of his cannons there.
The Rough Wooing
In 1546, money from France was sent to help fix the castle. In 1547, a large cannon called "Thrawynmouth" was sent from Dunbar to help in a battle.
The castle was burned by the Earl of Shrewsbury in 1548 during a conflict known as the Rough wooing. French soldiers then took charge of the castle. More repairs and new defenses were built in 1548.
An English soldier named Thomas Holcroft described attacks on Dunbar in 1549. Despite cannon fire from the castle, his men managed to set fires in the town. He thought the old castle walls near the town were "very old and low" but had been strengthened with earth.
The Reformation and Mary, Queen of Scots
Mary of Guise, the Queen Regent of Scotland, came to Dunbar Castle in June 1559. She was trying to escape the Protestant Lords of the Congregation. In 1560, an Italian engineer worked on more improvements for the French soldiers stationed there. These new works made the castle much bigger, able to hold 500 more soldiers.
However, as part of the Treaty of Edinburgh, the new parts of the castle were ordered to be destroyed. Local landowners were told to tear down a large rampart and an artillery platform. Even so, the French captain, Corbeyran de Sarlabous, stayed in charge and fixed up a cave that was supposed to be destroyed.
Mary, Queen of Scots herself appointed Robert Anstruther as captain of Dunbar in 1561. She visited the castle with her half-brother, Lord John, in December 1562. She also ordered cannons and gun carriages to be moved from Dunbar for battles in the north.
Mary appointed Simon Preston as captain in 1564 and stayed at the castle for a week. In 1565, during a rebellion, she ordered repairs to the gun positions. She was brought to the castle by the Earl of Bothwell before facing her enemies at the battle of Carberry Hill in June 1567.
Finally, in September 1567, there was a siege to remove Bothwell's supporters from the castle. Dunbar Castle was completely destroyed by order of the Scottish Parliament in December 1567. The order said it should be "cast down utterly to the ground" so that no one could ever build on its foundations again. Some of the stone was later used to build the quayside at Leith.
Images for kids
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19th-century engraving of the castle
See also
In Spanish: Castillo de Dunbar para niños
