Edinburgh Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Edinburgh Castle |
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| Castlehill, Edinburgh in Scotland | |
Edinburgh Castle dominates the Old Town
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| Coordinates | 55°56′55″N 3°12′3″W / 55.94861°N 3.20083°W |
| Type | Visitor attraction and British Army regimental headquarters |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Scottish Ministers |
| Operator | Historic Environment Scotland and British Army |
| Open to the public |
Yes |
| Visitor numbers | 2,201,354 (2019) |
| Site history | |
| Built | 11th century through to the 21st century |
| Battles/wars |
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| Events | Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo (annual) |
| Garrison information | |
| Current commander |
Major General Alastair Bruce of Crionaich |
| Past commanders |
List of Governors of Edinburgh Castle |
Edinburgh Castle is a very old and famous castle in Edinburgh, Scotland. It sits high up on a huge rock called Castle Rock. People have lived on this rock for thousands of years, even since the Iron Age. A royal castle has been here since the 1100s, during the time of King David I. It was a home for kings and queens until 1633.
Over time, the castle became less of a home and more of a military base. By the 1600s, it was mainly used as army barracks. People started to see its importance to Scotland's history in the 1800s. Since then, many parts of the castle have been repaired and restored.
Edinburgh Castle was a very important stronghold in Scotland. It was part of many big fights, like the Wars of Scottish Independence in the 1300s. In 2014, experts found that the castle has been attacked 26 times in 1,100 years. This makes it one of the most attacked places in the world!
Most of the buildings you see today were built after the "Lang Siege" in the 1500s. During this siege, many old parts of the castle were destroyed by cannons. Some older parts still stand, like St Margaret's Chapel from the early 1100s. This is the oldest building in Edinburgh. The Royal Palace and the Great Hall are also very old.
The castle also holds the Scottish royal jewels, called the Honours of Scotland. It is home to the Scottish National War Memorial and the National War Museum of Scotland. Even today, the British Army uses some parts of the castle, mostly for ceremonies and offices. Some buildings also have museums for army regiments, which visitors can explore.
Historic Environment Scotland looks after the castle. It is Scotland's most popular paid tourist attraction. In 2019, over 2.2 million people visited it. The castle is also the amazing backdrop for the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo every year. This makes it a famous symbol of Edinburgh and all of Scotland.
Contents
- History of Edinburgh Castle
- Exploring Edinburgh Castle
- Edinburgh Castle Today
- See also
History of Edinburgh Castle
How the Castle Rock Formed
The Rock's Geology
The castle sits on an extinct volcano that formed about 350 million years ago. The Castle Rock is what's left of a volcanic pipe. Hot, melted rock pushed through the ground and then cooled, forming very hard rock called dolerite. Later, glaciers moved across the land. The hard dolerite rock protected the softer rock behind it. This created a shape called a crag and tail formation.
The top of the Castle Rock is about 130 meters (426 feet) above sea level. It has steep cliffs on three sides: south, west, and north. These cliffs are about 80 meters (262 feet) high. This means the only easy way to reach the castle is from the east, where the ground slopes gently. This made it a great place for defence. However, the hard rock also made it hard to get water. Even with a deep well, the castle often ran out of water during dry times or sieges.
Early People on the Rock
We don't know exactly when people first lived on Castle Rock. Roman records from the 1st century AD don't mention it. A map from the 2nd century AD shows a place called "Alauna" (meaning "rock place") in this area. This might be the earliest name for Castle Rock.
Old stories say that a legendary king named "Ebrawce" built Edinburgh. Another story says he built the "Maidens' Castle." This name, "Maidens' Castle," was used for Edinburgh Castle until the 1500s. No one knows for sure why it was called this. Some think it was because the castle had never been captured by force. Others believe it came from an old legend about nine maidens or nuns.
In the early 1990s, archaeologists found signs that people lived here in the late Bronze Age or early Iron Age. This might make Castle Rock the longest continuously lived-in place in Scotland. However, the findings were small, so we can't be sure about how big or what kind of settlement it was.
Later, the digs showed clear signs of people living here in the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. They found Roman items like pottery and brooches. This suggests that the local tribes traded with the Romans. It's possible there was a small fort or settlement on the rock during this time.
The Middle Ages
Early Medieval Times
The castle isn't mentioned in records again until about AD 600. An old Welsh poem talks about "Din Eidyn," which means "the stronghold of Eidyn." This is thought to be Castle Rock. The poem tells a sad story of warriors from the Gododdin tribe who were defeated by the Angles.
In 638, the Angles, led by Oswald of Northumbria, attacked "Etin" and defeated the Gododdin. The area around Edinburgh then became part of the Kingdom of Northumbria. Later, in the 900s, this land became part of Scotland.
High Middle Ages and Royal Power
The first clear mention of a castle at Edinburgh is from the late 1000s. It describes Queen Margaret (who later became a saint) living at the "Castle of Maidens" when she heard about her husband, King Malcolm III's death. She died there a few days later.
Malcolm's son, King David I (who ruled from 1124–1153), made Edinburgh a very important royal center. He held meetings of nobles and church leaders at the castle. The buildings were likely made of wood back then. However, two stone buildings existed in the 1100s. One is St. Margaret's Chapel, which is still at the top of the rock. It was a private chapel for the royal family.
In 1174, King William "the Lion" was captured by the English. To be set free, he had to give Edinburgh Castle and other castles to the English King, Henry II. The English held the castle for 12 years. In 1186, it was given back to William as a wedding gift when he married an English bride. By the end of the 1100s, Edinburgh Castle was where Scotland's important government papers were kept.
Wars for Scottish Independence
In 1286, King Alexander III died without an heir, and the Scottish throne became empty. Edward I of England tried to take control of Scotland. In March 1296, Edward I invaded Scotland. Edinburgh Castle quickly fell to the English after a three-day attack. Edward then moved many Scottish records and treasures to England.
But England's control weakened after Edward I died in 1307. On March 14, 1314, Scottish forces led by Thomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Moray, took the castle back in a surprise night attack. They climbed the steep rock walls and surprised the English soldiers. Robert the Bruce immediately ordered the castle to be destroyed. This was to stop the English from using it again. Four months later, his army won a great victory at the Battle of Bannockburn.
After Robert the Bruce died in 1329, Edward III of England tried to conquer Scotland again. English forces took Edinburgh Castle in 1335 and made it strong once more. But in 1341, Scottish forces, led by William Douglas, Lord of Liddesdale, recaptured it. Douglas's men pretended to be merchants bringing supplies. They stopped their cart in the gate to keep it open, and a hidden Scottish force rushed in. All 100 English soldiers in the castle were killed.
David's Tower and the 1400s
The Wars of Independence ended in 1357. King David II returned and began rebuilding Edinburgh Castle. It became his main government center. David's Tower was started around 1367. It was finished by his successor, Robert II, in the 1370s. This tower stood where the Half Moon Battery is today.
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In 1440, a sad event called the "Black Dinner" happened at the castle. William Douglas, 6th Earl of Douglas, a powerful young noble, and his brother were invited to the castle by Sir William Crichton. They were then unfairly executed in front of the young King James II.
The castle was also used to make weapons. The first gun was bought in 1384. The famous "great bombard" called Mons Meg arrived in 1457. By 1498, guns were being made at the castle. By 1511, Edinburgh was the main place for making cannons in Scotland.
Around the end of the 1400s, the royal family started staying more often at Holyrood Abbey. King James IV (who ruled from 1488–1513) built Holyrood Palace nearby as his main home in Edinburgh. This meant the castle was used less as a royal residence. However, James IV did build the Great Hall, which was finished in the early 1500s.
The 1500s and the Lang Siege
In 1513, King James IV was killed in battle. The Scots quickly built a town wall around Edinburgh and made the castle stronger. In 1544, the English attacked and burned Edinburgh. The castle's cannons helped defend the city.
In 1566, Mary, Queen of Scots, gave birth to her son James in a small room in the castle's palace. James would later become King of both Scotland and England. Mary's rule ended badly. After her husband was murdered, she married someone suspected of the murder. Many nobles rebelled, and Mary was forced to give up her throne. She escaped to England, but some nobles stayed loyal to her.
Edinburgh Castle was held for Queen Mary by Sir William Kirkcaldy of Grange. This led to a long fight known as the "Lang Siege" (meaning "long siege"). It lasted for two years, from 1571 to 1573. Grange kept making the castle stronger, but his supplies ran low.
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The King's forces asked Queen Elizabeth I of England for help. In April 1573, about 1,000 English troops arrived with 27 cannons. They set up cannons all around the castle. On May 17, the bombardment began. For 12 days, they fired about 3,000 shots at the castle. The south wall of David's Tower collapsed. The castle's water supply also ran out.
On May 26, the English captured the outer defences. The next day, Grange tried to negotiate, but the garrison threatened to mutiny. So, on May 28, Grange surrendered the castle to the English. Sir William Kirkcaldy of Grange and some others were later executed.
New Buildings and Civil War
After the Lang Siege, much of the castle was rebuilt. This included the Half Moon Battery and the Portcullis Gate. The Half Moon Battery is very large, but some historians think it wasn't a very effective defence for its time.
The palace was badly damaged and not used much, especially after James VI became King of England in 1603. He had repairs done for his visit to Scotland in 1617. During this visit, James held court in the palace, but he still preferred to sleep at Holyrood. This was the last time a king or queen lived in the castle.
In 1621, King James gave land in North America to Sir William Alexander. This land was called Nova Scotia (meaning "New Scotland"). To help people settle there, a special title, Baronet of Nova Scotia, was created. To get this title, people had to symbolically receive land from Nova Scotia. Since Nova Scotia was so far away, the King said they could do this at Edinburgh Castle.
In 1639, King Charles I tried to change the Scottish Church. This led to a civil war. The Covenanters, led by Alexander Leslie, captured Edinburgh Castle. It was given back to Charles, but the Covenanters took it again the next year after a three-month siege.
In 1650, Oliver Cromwell invaded Scotland and defeated the Covenanters. Edinburgh Castle was taken after another three-month siege. The castle governor surrendered even though he had enough supplies.
Garrison Fortress: Jacobites and Prisoners
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After King Charles II returned to the throne in 1660, a full-time army was kept at the castle. From this time until 1923, soldiers were always stationed there. The old royal castle became a military fortress.
In 1689, William of Orange became King. The Scottish Parliament asked the Duke of Gordon, who was the castle's governor and loyal to the old king, to surrender. He refused, and the castle was surrounded by 7,000 troops. After three months, with supplies running low, Gordon finally surrendered on June 14.
The castle was almost captured in the first Jacobite rising in 1715. A group of Jacobite Highlanders tried to climb the walls, but their ladder was too short. The alarm was raised, and they fled.
In the 1720s and 1730s, the castle's defences were greatly improved. New artillery defences and walls were built on the north and west sides. These included the Argyle Battery and Mills Mount Battery.
The last military action at the castle happened during the second Jacobite rising in 1745. The Jacobite army captured Edinburgh, but the castle's governor refused to surrender. The Jacobites tried to block the castle, but the governor fired cannons into the town. After some buildings were destroyed, the Jacobites stopped their blockade and marched into England.
For the next 100 years, the castle's vaults were used to hold prisoners of war. These included prisoners from the Seven Years' War, the American Revolutionary War, and the Napoleonic Wars. Many new buildings were also built during this time, like powder magazines and the New Barracks.
From the 1800s to Today
In 1811, 49 prisoners escaped from the castle. This showed that the vaults were no longer good for prisons. So, in 1814, the castle stopped being a prison. It slowly started to become a national monument.
In 1818, Sir Walter Scott found the Crown of Scotland in a sealed room. It was thought to be lost after Scotland and England united in 1707. These royal jewels, called the Honours of Scotland, were then put on public display. In 1822, King George IV visited Edinburgh. He was the first king to visit the castle since 1651.
The cannon Mons Meg was returned to the castle in 1829. The palace began to open to visitors in the 1830s. In the 1880s, the Great Hall was restored after being used as barracks for many years. A new Gatehouse was built in 1888.
In 1905, the castle's care was given to the Office of Works. The army garrison stayed until 1923. The castle was used as a prison again during the First and Second World Wars.
Today, Historic Environment Scotland looks after the castle. It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and has many protected historic buildings. The Old and New Towns of Edinburgh, including the castle, are a World Heritage Site recognized by UNESCO.
Exploring Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is at the top of the Royal Mile, at the west end of Edinburgh's Old Town. The Castle Rock is naturally protected by steep cliffs on three sides. The only easy way to get in is from the east, where the town is. So, the castle's defences are strongest there.
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 and Entrance
The large, sloping area in front of the castle is called the Esplanade. This is where the Edinburgh Military Tattoo happens every year. From here, you can clearly see the Half Moon Battery and the Royal Palace.
The Gatehouse at the top of the Esplanade was built in 1888. It has statues of Robert the Bruce and William Wallace. Above the gate is the Latin motto Nemo me impune lacessit, which means "No one provokes me with impunity." The ditch in front of the entrance was finished in 1742. Inside the Gatehouse are offices and the ticket office, which was built in 2008.
The road leading up to the castle was built in 1464 to move cannons. It goes around the north side of the Half Moon Battery to the Portcullis Gate. A new tunnel was opened in 1990 to separate visitors from castle vehicles.
Portcullis Gate and Argyle Tower
The Portcullis Gate was started after the Lang Siege in the 1570s. It replaced an older tower that was destroyed. In 1886–1887, the plain building above the gate was replaced with a new tower in the Scots Baronial style. This new structure was named the Argyle Tower. The original Portcullis Gate is still below.
Just inside the gate is the Argyle Battery, which looks out over Princes Street. To the west is Mills Mount Battery, where the One O'Clock Gun is fired. Below these batteries are the Low Defences. At the bottom of the rock are the ruins of the Wellhouse Tower, built in 1362. This tower protected a natural spring that provided important water for the castle.
Military Buildings
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The areas north and west of the Argyle Tower have many military buildings. These were built after the castle became a major army base in the 1700s. Near Mills Mount are old cart sheds, which are now tea rooms. The Governor's House, built in 1742, was for the Governor and other officers. Today, it's an officers' mess and the Governor's office.
South of the Governor's House are the New Barracks, finished in 1799. They could house 600 soldiers. Today, they are home to the headquarters of the Royal Regiment of Scotland and the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards. The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Museum is also here. The Regimental Museum of the Royal Scots is in a nearby building. The military prison was built in 1842 and used until 1923.
National War Museum of Scotland
West of the Governor's House, a munitions store was built in 1747–48. This area was later made into a military hospital. The building to the south is now the National War Museum of Scotland. It is part of the National Museums of Scotland. The museum tells the story of Scotland's military history over the last 400 years. It has uniforms, medals, and weapons. It also explains the many wars Scottish soldiers have fought in.
Upper Ward
The Upper Ward is the highest part of the Castle Rock. You enter it through Foog's Gate, which was built in the late 1600s. No one knows why it's called Foog's Gate, but it might be related to the thick fogs (called haars) that often cover Edinburgh. Near the gates are large water tanks and a former fire station, now a shop.
At the very top of the rock are St Margaret's Chapel and the 15th-century cannon Mons Meg. Below this area is a small 19th-century Dogs' Cemetery, where soldiers buried their pet mascots. The Lang Stair leads down to the Argyle Battery from here.
St. Margaret's Chapel
The oldest building in the castle, and in Edinburgh, is the small St. Margaret's Chapel. It's one of the few 12th-century buildings left in any Scottish castle. King David I built it as a private chapel for the royal family. He dedicated it to his mother, Saint Margaret of Scotland, who died in the castle in 1093. It survived when the castle's defences were destroyed in 1314. For a long time, it was used to store gunpowder. In 1845, it was "discovered" and later restored. The chapel is still used for religious ceremonies today.
Mons Meg
The famous 15th-century cannon called Mons Meg is on display near St. Margaret's Chapel. It was made in Flanders in 1449 and given as a gift to King James II in 1457. This huge gun weighs about 13,000 pounds (5,900 kg). Some of its large cannonballs, weighing about 330 pounds (150 kg) each, are displayed next to it.
In 1558, Mons Meg was fired to celebrate the marriage of Mary, Queen of Scots. One of its cannonballs landed about 2 miles (3 km) away! The gun has not worked since its barrel burst in 1681 while firing a salute.
Half Moon Battery and David's Tower
The Half Moon Battery is a very noticeable part of the castle on the east side. It was built between 1573 and 1588 after the Lang Siege. The Forewall to the north was built later to connect the Half Moon to the Portcullis Tower.
The Half Moon Battery was built around and over the ruins of David's Tower. Two floors of David's Tower still exist underneath the battery. This tower was rediscovered in 1912. You can see some of the original walls of the tower, showing damage from the 1573 bombardment. A deep well, 110 feet (34 meters) deep, was also found and cleared nearby.
Crown Square
Crown Square, also called Palace Yard, was created in the 1400s. It was the castle's main courtyard. The ground was made level by building large stone vaults on the uneven rock. These vaults were used as a state prison until the 1800s. The square is surrounded by the Royal Palace, the Great Hall, the Queen Anne Building, and the Scottish National War Memorial.
Royal Palace
The Royal Palace was once the home of the Scottish kings and queens. It was started in the mid-1400s. The building was greatly changed for King James VI's visit in 1617. On the ground floor is the King's Dining Room. There is also a small room called the Birth Chamber, where James VI was born to Mary, Queen of Scots, in June 1566.
On the first floor is the Crown Room. This room was built in 1615 to hold the Honours of Scotland: the crown, sceptre, and sword of state. The Stone of Scone, used for crowning Scottish monarchs, has been kept here since 1996.
Great Hall
The Great Hall is 29 meters (95 feet) long and 12.5 meters (41 feet) wide. It was the main place for important meetings in the castle. Most historians believe it was built by King James IV in the early 1500s. It has beautiful carved stone supports for its roof. It is one of only two medieval halls in Scotland with its original hammerbeam roof.
After Oliver Cromwell took the castle in 1650, the Great Hall was used as barracks for his soldiers. Later, it became a military hospital until 1897. It was then restored to look like a medieval hall. The Great Hall is still used for special events today.
Queen Anne Building
This building is named after Queen Anne. It was built in 1708. It was designed by Captain Theodore Dury, a military engineer. The Queen Anne Building provided homes for officers. After the army left, it was changed into the Naval and Military Museum in the 1920s. The museum later moved, and the building now has event spaces and an education center.
Scottish National War Memorial
The Scottish National War Memorial is in a converted barrack building on the north side of Crown Square. It stands where an old church used to be. Plans for a memorial began during the First World War in 1917. Construction started in 1923, and it opened on July 14, 1927.
The memorial honors Scottish soldiers who died in the two world wars and other conflicts. Inside, there is a sealed box with lists of over 147,000 names of soldiers killed in the First World War. After the Second World War, another 50,000 names were added. The memorial is looked after by a charity.
Edinburgh Castle Today
Edinburgh Castle is owned by the Scottish Government. Historic Environment Scotland manages most of the castle. However, the Army still uses some areas, like the New Barracks and military museums. Both share the Guardroom at the castle entrance.
A Popular Tourist Spot
Historic Environment Scotland runs the castle as a popular tourist attraction. They also work to protect and preserve it. Edinburgh Castle is the most visited paid attraction in Scotland. In 2019, over 2.2 million people visited. The castle has cafes, shops, and many historical displays. An education center in the Queen Anne Building offers events for schools. They even have actors in costumes who show what life was like in the past.
The Castle's Military Role
The army officially moved out of the castle in 1923. But the castle still has strong ties to the Army. It's one of the few old castles in Britain that still has a military presence. This is mostly for ceremonies and administration. Soldiers guard the Honours of Scotland. Armed sentries stand watch at the Gatehouse when the castle is closed. The job of Governor of Edinburgh Castle is now an honorary title. The New Barracks are home to the Officers' Mess and the headquarters of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The Army also looks after the Royal Scots Museum and Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Museum.
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo
Every August, a series of performances called the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo takes place on the Esplanade. It started in 1950. The show features massed pipes and drums from Scottish regiments. It also includes performers from all over the world, with a focus on military displays. The highlight is a single piper playing on the castle battlements. This is followed by all the bands playing Scottish tunes. The Tattoo attracts about 217,000 people each year. It is also shown on TV in about 30 countries to an audience of 100 million.
The One O'Clock Gun
The One O'Clock Gun is a time signal fired every day at exactly one p.m. It is not fired on Sundays, Good Friday, or Christmas Day. The "Time Gun" started in 1861. It helped ships in the harbor of Leith know the correct time. It was especially useful when fog made it hard to see the "Time Ball" on the Nelson Monument. Because sound travels slowly, a map was made to show when the gun's sound would reach different parts of Edinburgh.
The first gun was an 18-pound cannon. It needed four men to load it. It was replaced in 1913 and again in 1952. The current One O'Clock Gun is an L118 Light Gun. It has been used since 2001.
On April 2, 1916, during World War I, the One O'Clock Gun was fired at a German Zeppelin during an air raid. This is the only time it has been used in war.
Today, the gun is fired from Mill's Mount Battery. The ceremony is a popular tourist attraction. The longest-serving gunner, Staff Sergeant Thomas McKay, fired the gun from 1979 until 2005. In 2006, Bombardier Allison Jones became the first woman to fire the gun.
A Symbol of Edinburgh
The castle has become a famous symbol of Edinburgh and Scotland. You can see a picture of it on the coats of arms of the City of Edinburgh and the University of Edinburgh. It's also on the badge of No. 603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron.
Images of the castle are used as logos by many organizations. These include Edinburgh Rugby, the Edinburgh Evening News, and Hibernian F.C.. It also appears on "Castle series" postage stamps. The castle is also on Scottish banknotes. Since 1987, it has been on the back of £1 notes from the Royal Bank of Scotland. Since 2009, it has been on £10 notes from the Clydesdale Bank. The castle is a main feature for the annual fireworks displays during Edinburgh's Hogmanay (New Year) celebrations and the end of the Edinburgh Festival.
See also
