St Oran's Church was a Gaelic-speaking congregation of the Church of Scotland in Edinburgh . Originating in the early 18th-century, the congregation continued until 1948, latterly meeting at Broughton Street .
168-623: Gaelic public worship in Edinburgh began in the early 18th century and culminated with the opening of the first Gaelic Chapel at Chapel Wynd near the Grassmarket in 1769. This was the first Gaelic-speaking congregation in the Scottish Lowlands . A second, larger chapel opened at Horse Wynd in 1813 and the two congregations united in 1815, following which the Chaepl Wynd building was sold. In 1835,
336-468: A layman , Buchanan gathered round him a Gaelic-speaking congregation which met at College Street Relief Church in the Southside . Buchanan was unable to qualify as a minister before his sudden death in 1768. At the time of Buchanan's death, plans were already underway to create a permanent Gaelic church. In 1766, some prominent Edinburgh citizens, led by burgess William Dickson, issued an appeal to create
504-468: A volcanic pipe , which cut through the surrounding sedimentary rock before cooling to form very hard dolerite , a type of basalt . Subsequent glacial erosion was resisted by the dolerite, which protected the softer rock to the east, leaving a crag and tail formation. The summit of the Castle Rock is 130 metres (430 ft) above sea level, with rocky cliffs to the south, west, and north, rising to
672-519: A Category B listed building since 1966. The congregation originally possessed pewter communion cups . In 1821, the congregation purchased two silver communion cups with the effects of Sergeant John Munro of the Royal Scots and inscribed "DA CHOTHEN GHAELIC DHUNEIDIN A REIR THIOMNUIDH SHERGt. EOIN MUNRO TROIMH LAMH EOIN MUNRO A MINr. 1821." ( To the Gaelic Congregation of Edinburgh according to
840-476: A book Quines by actress Gerda Stevenson . "Hauf-hingit Maggie Deith is wappin when it comes – like birth, I ken – I hae warstled throu, an focht wi baith. She wis blue, ma bairn, blue as the breast o a brid I seen oan the banks o the Tweed thon day; then grey, aa wrang, the naelstring windit ticht aroon her neck; I ettled tae lowse it, aince, twice, but it aye slippit – ma hauns couldnae grup, ma mind skailt frae
1008-466: A century. St Columba's congregation walked out in 1842, [sic] and since then there has been intermittent litigation as to the return of the funds and property. Thirty years ago we got the last of our property back. We feel we have nothing in common with the people of St Columba's. Following the General Assembly's intervention, the two congregations united on 4 July 1948. The united congregation adopted
1176-457: A cuddie’s pech; ma een appen. I lift ma nieve, chap, chap oan ma mort-kist lid, chap, chap! A scraich ootbye, a craik o hinges. I heeze masel, slaw, intil ma ain wake, at the Sheep Heid Inn. Fowk heuch an flee: “A ghaist, a bogle, risin fae the deid!” I sclim oot, caum. The braw Brewster gies me a wink, hauns me a dram. I sup lang the gowd maut, syne dauner back tae life, an hame." There is now
1344-425: A dowie jyle. An mercy? Nane they gied me at ma trial—the verdict: hingin. The duimster slippit the towe ower ma heid, drapt the flair – but I’d lowsed ma hauns, I gruppit thon raip, aince, twice, thrice at ma thrapple – I’d dae it this time! The duimster dunted me wi his stick, dunt, dunt, an the dirdum dinged in ma lugs, “Clure the hure! Clure the huir!” Syne aa gaed daurk. A chink o licht. The smell o wuid, warm –
1512-535: A fight in September 1745, but the castle remained in the hands of its ageing Deputy Governor, General George Preston , who refused to surrender. After their victory over the government army at Prestonpans on 21 September, the Jacobites attempted to blockade the castle. Preston's response was to bombard Jacobite positions within the town. After several buildings had been demolished and four people killed, Charles called off
1680-560: A force of around 1,000 English troops, led by Sir William Drury , arrived in Edinburgh. They were followed by 27 cannons from Berwick-upon-Tweed , including one that had been cast within Edinburgh Castle and captured by the English at Flodden. The English troops built an artillery emplacement on Castle Hill, immediately facing the east walls of the castle, and five others to the north, west and south. By 17 May these batteries were ready, and
1848-619: A formal Gaelic chapel. Dickson raised £300 and purchased a plot of land between the Castle and the Grassmarket . This was near the White Hart Inn: a favoured meeting place of Highlanders. Building commenced in May 1767 and the chapel – a simple T-plan building with seats for 800 – opened in summer 1769. The Society in Scotland for Propagating Christian Knowledge was responsible for nominating preachers while
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#17330854286962016-405: A garrison was continuously maintained at the castle. The medieval royal castle was transformed into a garrison fortress, but continued to see military and political action. The Marquis of Argyll was imprisoned here in 1661, when King Charles II settled old scores with his enemies following his return to the throne. Twenty years later, Argyll's son, the 9th Earl of Argyll , was also imprisoned in
2184-422: A gun was in 1384, and the "great bombard " Mons Meg was delivered to Edinburgh in 1457. The first recorded mention of an armoury for the manufacture of guns occurs in 1474, and by 1498 the master gunner Robert Borthwick was casting bronze guns at Edinburgh. By 1511 Edinburgh was the principal foundry in Scotland, supplanting Stirling Castle, with Scottish and European smiths working under Borthwick, who by 1512
2352-468: A height of 80 metres (260 ft) above the surrounding landscape. This means that the only readily accessible route to the castle lies to the east, where the ridge slopes more gently. The defensive advantage of such a site is self-evident, but the geology of the rock also presents difficulties, since basalt is extremely impermeable. Providing water to the Upper Ward of the castle was problematic, and despite
2520-553: A historic building in Scotland, and special care was taken when installing 31 kW solar panels on the roof of the War Memorial, obscured by its parapet. The Old and New Towns of Edinburgh , a World Heritage Site inscribed by UNESCO in 1995, is described as "dominated by a medieval fortress". Edinburgh Castle is located at the top of the Royal Mile , at the west end of Edinburgh's Old Town . The volcanic Castle Rock offers
2688-575: A hollow, well below surrounding ground levels. The Grassmarket is located directly below Edinburgh Castle and forms part of one of the main east-west vehicle arteries through the city centre. It adjoins the Cowgatehead/ Cowgate and Candlemaker Row at the east end, the West Bow (the lower end of Victoria Street in the north-east corner, King's Stables Road to the north-west, and the West Port to
2856-557: A lodging in the Grassmarket as the place where the Skye terrier's owner dies (depicting him as a shepherd hoping to be hired at the market rather than the real-life dog's owner, police night watchman John Gray). The meat market closed in 1911 when a new municipal slaughter house at Tollcross replaced the old "shambles" in the western half of the Grassmarket (a road beyond the open market place) which joins King's Stables Road. The association of
3024-510: A naturally defended position, with sheer cliffs to north and south, and a steep ascent from the west. The only easy approach is from the town to the east, and the castle's defences are situated accordingly, with a series of gates protecting the route to the summit of the Castle Rock. In front of the castle is a long sloping forecourt known as the Esplanade. Originally the Spur, a 16th-century hornwork ,
3192-414: A pediment on consoles below an architraved panel. The central bays feature three round-headed doors beneath a continuous architraved panel. The sides of them are faced in rubble while the rear incorporates a deep apse with three round-headed windows. Following its secularisation, the building was partitioned internally into three storeys with a basement. This building also featured a plaque, erected to
3360-557: A pew. In 1807, John McDonald became minister. By that year, less than a tenth of the congregation was monolingual in Gaelic. McDonald was nevertheless resistant to the introduction of English-language worship. McDonald was so popular a minister that, in 1813, his final service was held in the West Kirk , the congregation being too large for the Gaelic Chapel. Following McDonald's departure,
3528-590: A popular tourist spot. The character of the area was reflected in a number of hostels for the homeless, including that of the Salvation Army Women's Hostel (now a backpackers hostel) which existed here until the 1980s. From then on property prices started to rise sharply. The area is, and always has been, dominated by a series of public houses. In recent years many have become more family-friendly and include dining areas. The council has recently further encouraged these to spill over onto outside pavements, giving
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#17330854286963696-732: A possible trading relationship between the Votadini and the Romans beginning with Agricola's northern campaign in AD 82, and continuing through to the establishment of the Antonine Wall around AD 140. The nature of the settlement in this period is inconclusive, but Driscoll and Yeoman suggest it may have been a broch , similar to the one at Edin's Hall near Duns in the Scottish Borders . The castle does not re-appear in contemporary historical records from
3864-429: A pub in the Grassmarket named Maggie Dickson's near where she was hanged. In 1775, the young advocate James Boswell 's first criminal client, John Reid from Peeblesshire, was hanged in the Grassmarket for sheep-stealing. Boswell, convinced of his client's innocence and citing Maggie Dickson's miraculous recovery, hatched a plan to recover Reid's corpse immediately after execution and have it resuscitated by surgeons. He
4032-469: A rebellion in the Highlands, climbed up the western side of the Castle Rock to urge Gordon to hold the castle against the new King. Gordon agreed, but during the ensuing siege he refused to fire upon the town, while the besiegers inflicted little damage on the castle. Despite Dundee's initial successes in the north, Gordon eventually surrendered on 14 June, due to dwindling supplies and having lost 70 men during
4200-551: A shortage of resources, although the battery's position obscuring the ancient David's Tower and enhancing the prominence of the palace block, has been seen as a significant decision. The battered palace block remained unused, particularly after James VI departed to become King of England in 1603. James had repairs carried out in 1584, and in 1615–1616 more extensive repairs were carried out in preparation for his return visit to Scotland. The mason William Wallace and master of works James Murray introduced an early Scottish example of
4368-587: A siege, but eventually withdrew due to lack of supplies. At least by 1436-7, Sir William Crichton was Keeper or Governor of Edinburgh Castle, and soon after became Chancellor of Scotland . In an attempt to gain the regency of Scotland, Crichton sought to break the power of the Douglases , the principal noble family in the kingdom. The 16-year-old William Douglas, 6th Earl of Douglas , and his younger brother David were summoned to Edinburgh Castle in November 1440. After
4536-474: A window on a rope. The duke fled to France, then England, where he allied himself with King Edward IV . In 1482, Albany marched into Scotland with Richard, Duke of Gloucester (later King Richard III), and an English army. James III was trapped in the castle from 22 July to 29 September 1482 until he successfully negotiated a settlement. During the 15th century, the castle was increasingly used as an arsenal and armaments factory. The first known purchase of
4704-420: Is John of Fordun 's account of the death of King Malcolm III (1031–1093). Fordun describes his widow, the future Saint Margaret , as residing at the "Castle of Maidens" when she is brought news of his death in November 1093. Fordun's account goes on to relate how Margaret died of grief within days, and how Malcolm's brother Donald Bane laid siege to the castle. However, Fordun's chronicle was not written until
4872-467: Is a visible face of trade; most of them have also warehouses in Leith , where they lay up the heavier goods, and bring them hither, or sell them by patterns and samples, as they have occasion." From 1800 onwards the area became a focal point for the influx of Irish immigrants and a high number of lodging houses appeared for those unable to pay a regular rent. Community views of these immigrants were polarised by
5040-498: Is more reliable concerning the Iron Age. Traditionally, it had been supposed that the tribes of central Scotland had made little or no use of the Castle Rock. Excavations at nearby Dunsapie Hill , Duddingston , Inveresk and Traprain Law had revealed relatively large settlements and it was supposed that these sites had been chosen in preference to the Castle Rock. However, the excavation in
5208-752: Is still responsible for some parts of the castle, although its presence is now largely ceremonial and administrative. The castle is the regimental headquarters of the Royal Regiment of Scotland and the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards and houses their regimental museums , along with that of the Royal Scots . The castle, in the care of Historic Environment Scotland , is Scotland's most (and the United Kingdom 's second most) visited paid tourist attraction, with over 2.2 million visitors in 2019 and over 70 percent of leisure visitors to Edinburgh visiting
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5376-573: Is the Low Defence, while at the base of the rock is the ruined Wellhouse Tower, built in 1362 to guard St. Margaret's Well. This natural spring provided an important secondary source of water for the castle, the water being lifted up by a crane mounted on a platform known as the Crane Bastion. The areas to the north and west of the Argyle Tower are largely occupied by military buildings erected after
5544-554: The Burke and Hare murders on Tanners Close at West Port (the west end of the Grassmarket) in 1828. From the 1840s conditions were somewhat horrendous, with up to 12 people in what would now be deemed a small double bedroom, and occupants being locked in the room overnight. Police inspections had begun in 1822 but the rules themselves caused many of the problems. A further Act of 1848 combined police surveillance with limits on occupation. In 1888
5712-471: The Castle Rock ; the design won a Civic Trust Award and Scottish Design Award in 2002. For most of its history the Grassmarket was one of the poorest areas of the city, associated in the nineteenth century with an influx of poor Irish and the infamous murderers Burke and Hare . Up until quite recently it was still to some extent associated with homelessness and drunkenness before its rapid gentrification as
5880-573: The Church of Scotland and by the Kirk's insistence from 1694 that Gaelic-speaking ministers remain with Gaelic-speaking Highland parishes unless authorised by their presbytery. The Kirk's requirement that there could be only one place of worship in each parish also complicated the establishment of an extra-parochial Gaelic chapel. The General Assembly did, however, make provision for Gaelic preaching in Edinburgh in 1704; nevertheless, this could not be effected due to
6048-501: The Davidian Revolution ). Between 1139 and 1150, David held an assembly of nobles and churchmen, a precursor to the parliament of Scotland , at the castle. Any buildings or defences would probably have been of timber, although two stone buildings are documented as having existed in the 12th century. Of these, St. Margaret's Chapel remains at the summit of the rock. The second was a church, dedicated to St. Mary , which stood on
6216-503: The Dean of Guild 's court show the Horse Wynd chapel as a simple Neoclassical building. The facade of five bays consisted of two storeys separated by a simple course of moulding . The walls were capped by a simple cornice and short attic storey while a pitched roof covered the building. The windows of the upper storey were rectangular while the openings on the ground floor (windows at
6384-518: The Estates of Scotland , after convening to accept William formally as their new king, demanded that Duke of Gordon , Governor of the Castle, surrender the fortress. Gordon, who had been appointed by James VII as a fellow Catholic, refused. In March 1689, the castle was blockaded by 7,000 troops against a garrison of 160 men, further weakened by religious disputes. On 18 March, Viscount Dundee , intent on raising
6552-496: The General Officer Commanding in Scotland, the first holder being Lieutenant-General Sir Archibald Cameron of Lochiel. The castle passed into the care of Historic Scotland when it was established in 1991, and was designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument in 1993. The buildings and structures of the castle are further protected by 24 separate listings , including 13 at category A , the highest level of protection for
6720-632: The Highland Church , using the St Columba's buildings. Greyfriars Kirk maintains St Oran's tradition of Gaelic worship in Edinburghto the present. The first Gaelic Chapel was a simple T-plan building with seats for 800. It was demolished in the 1830s. The Horse Wynd building stood on a rectangular plan and was executed in a plain neoclassical style . It was swept away in the public improvements that created Chambers Street . The Broughton Street building –
6888-451: The Iron Age . There has been a royal castle on the rock since the reign of Malcolm III in the 11th century, and the castle continued to be a royal residence until 1633. From the 15th century, the castle's residential role declined, and by the 17th century it was principally used as a military garrison . Its importance as a part of Scotland's national heritage was recognised increasingly from
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7056-669: 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, when it was located in the Queen Anne Building . It covers Scotland's military history over the past 400 years, and includes a wide range of military artefacts, such as uniforms, medals and weapons. The exhibits also illustrate the history and causes behind
7224-617: The Royal Navy . Maggie had gone to work in an inn in the Borders, and was hanged in the Grassmarket in August 1724, at the age of 22 or 23, by hangman John Dalgliesh for murdering her illegitimate baby there by drowning it or placing it in the river Tweed at Kelso , shortly after the birth. After the hanging, a doctor declared Dickson dead, and her family argued with the medical students, who then were only allowed to dissect criminal corpses, so her body
7392-598: The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Museum . The latter was opened in 1995 by the regiment's Colonel, Queen Elizabeth II . Also nearby, in the former Royal Scots drill hall , constructed in 1900, is the Regimental Museum of the Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment) . The military prison was built in 1842 as a detention block for the castle garrison and was extended in the 1880s. It was last used in 1923, when
7560-547: The United Free Church in 1900 and rejoined the Church of Scotland in 1929. In this context, the General Assembly concluded the maintenance of two small, Gaelic-speaking congregations in the city was unnecessary and, from 1930, sought to unite the charges. Attempts to unite St Oran's and St Columba's were often fraught. Members of St Oran's unsuccessfully proposed that both congregations leave their buildings and use
7728-540: The United Free Church in 1929, ownership of St Oran's transferred from the SSPCK to the Church of Scotland and the voluntary supplement was redirected in 1935. In the years prior to James Duff MacDonald's death in 1945, the church's membership had begun to tail off. The Free Gaelic congregation that had split from the established church in 1843 had, by this point, adopted the name "St Columba's" and, though denominational unions, joined
7896-452: The city walls of Edinburgh . Highlanders may have made up as much as a tenth of the parish's population at this time. McVicar was preaching in Gaelic even before the Presbytery of Edinburgh formally charged him to do so in 1710. After McVicar's death in 1747, army chaplains based at the Castle may have maintained Gaelic worship until Dugald Buchanan 's arrival in Edinburgh in 1765. Though
8064-473: The slighting of the castle to prevent its re-occupation by the English. Four months later, his army secured victory at the Battle of Bannockburn . After Bruce's death in 1329, Edward III of England determined to renew the attempted subjugation of Scotland and supported the claim of Edward Balliol , son of the former King John Balliol , over that of Bruce's young son David II . Edward invaded in 1333, marking
8232-643: The "Horse-market". Of the West Bow at the north-east corner, considerably altered in the Victorian period, he wrote, "This street, which is called the Bow, is generally full of wholesale traders, and those very considerable dealers in iron, pitch, tar, oil, hemp, flax, linseed, painters' colours, dyers, drugs and woods, and such like heavy goods, and supplies country shopkeepers, as our wholesale dealers in England do. And here I may say,
8400-753: The 16th century. It appears in charters of David I (r. 1124–1153) and his successors in the Kingdom of Scotland , although the reason for it is not known. William Camden 's survey of Britain, Britannia (1607), records that "the Britans called [it] Castle Myned Agned [winged rock], the Scots, the Maidens Castle and the Virgins Castle, of certaine young maidens of the Picts roiall bloud who were kept there in old time". According to
8568-496: The 17th-century antiquarian Father Richard Hay, the "maidens" were a group of nuns, who were ejected from the castle and replaced by canons , considered "fitter to live among soldiers". However, this story was considered "apocryphal" by the 19th-century antiquarian Daniel Wilson and has been ignored by historians since. The name may have been derived from a "Cult of the Nine Maidens" type of legend. Arthurian legends suggest that
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#17330854286968736-495: The 1920s by the City architect Ebenezer MacRae skilfully closed many of the gaps with faux Scots Baronial blocks, ironically all built as council housing. There are several modern buildings on its southern side. Some properties were used by Heriot-Watt University, and its predecessor college, for teaching and research until the university moved fully to its new Riccarton campus (1974–92). The Mountbatten Building of Heriot-Watt University
8904-523: The 1990s pointed to the probable existence of an enclosed hillfort on the rock, although only the fringes of the site were excavated. House fragments revealed were similar to Iron Age dwellings previously found in Northumbria. The 1990s dig revealed clear signs of habitation from the 1st and 2nd centuries AD, consistent with Ptolemy 's reference to "Alauna". Signs of occupation included some Roman material, including pottery, bronzes and brooches, implying
9072-465: The 2nd century AD shows a settlement in the territory of the Votadini named "Alauna", meaning "rock place", making this possibly the earliest known name for the Castle Rock. This could, however, refer to another of the tribe's hill forts in the area. The Orygynale Cronykil of Andrew of Wyntoun (c. 1350 – c. 1423), an early source for Scottish history , names "Ebrawce" ( Ebraucus ), a legendary King of
9240-634: The Britons , as having "byggyd [built] Edynburgh". According to the earlier chronicler, Geoffrey of Monmouth (c. 1100 – c. 1155), Ebraucus had fifty children by his twenty wives, and was the founder of "Kaerebrauc" ( York ), "Alclud" ( Dumbarton ) and the "Maidens' Castle". The 16th-century English writer John Stow (c. 1525 – 1605), credited Ebraucus with building "the Castell of Maidens called Edenbrough" in 989 BC. The name "Maidens' Castle" ( Latin : Castra or Castellum Puellarum ) occurs frequently up until
9408-624: The Bruce by Thomas Clapperton and William Wallace by Alexander Carrick were added in 1929, and the Latin motto Nemo me impune lacessit is inscribed above the gate. The dry ditch in front of the entrance was completed in its present form in 1742. Within the Gatehouse are offices, and to the north is the most recent addition to the castle; the ticket office, completed in 2008 to a design by Gareth Hoskins Architects . The road, built by James III in 1464 for
9576-402: The Castle. Grange was a trusted lieutenant of the Regent, but after Moray's murder in January 1570 his allegiance to the King's cause began to waver. Intermittent civil war continued between the supporters of the two monarchs, and in April 1571 Dumbarton Castle fell to "the King's men". Under the influence of William Maitland of Lethington , Mary's secretary, Grange changed sides, occupying
9744-402: The City Public Health Department recorded seven lodging houses holding a total of an incredible 414 persons. Crombies Land at the foot of West Port held 70 people in 27 bedrooms, with no toilet provision. As a gathering point for market traders and cattle drovers, the Grassmarket was traditionally a place of taverns, hostelries and temporary lodgings, a fact still reflected in the use of some of
9912-446: The Covenanter army at Dunbar in September. Edinburgh Castle was taken after a three-month siege, which caused further damage. The Governor of the Castle, Colonel Walter Dundas, surrendered to Cromwell despite having enough supplies to hold out, allegedly from a desire to change sides. After his Restoration in 1660, Charles II opted to maintain a full-time standing army based on Cromwell's New Model Army . From this time until 1923,
10080-411: The Edinburgh publisher William Nelson and carried out by Hippolyte Blanc , saw the Argyle Tower built over the Portcullis Gate and the Great Hall restored after years of use as a barracks. A new Gatehouse was built in 1888. During the 19th century, several schemes were put forward for rebuilding the whole castle as a Scottish baronial style château . Work began in 1858, but was soon abandoned, and only
10248-461: The English at the Battle of Alnwick . He was forced to sign the Treaty of Falaise to secure his release, in return for surrendering Edinburgh Castle, along with the castles of Berwick , Roxburgh and Stirling , to the English King, Henry II . The castle was occupied by the English for twelve years, until 1186, when it was returned to William as the dowry of his English bride, Ermengarde de Beaumont , who had been chosen for him by King Henry. By
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#173308542869610416-404: The English rather than the Regent Morton. Edinburgh Castle was handed over to George Douglas of Parkhead , the Regent's brother, and the garrison was allowed to go free. In contrast, Kirkcaldy of Grange, his brother James and two jewellers, James Mossman and James Cokke , who had been minting coins in Mary's name inside the castle, were hanged at the Cross in Edinburgh on 3 August. Much of
10584-432: The English to press their advantage, the Scots hastily constructed a town wall around Edinburgh and augmented the castle's defences. Robert Borthwick and a Frenchman, Antoine d'Arces , were involved in designing new artillery defences and fortifications in 1514, though it appears from lack of evidence that little of the planned work was carried out. Three years later, King James V (r.1513–1542), still only five years old,
10752-443: The Grassmarket". In 1736, the Grassmarket formed the backdrop to the Porteous Riots which ended in the lynching of a captain of the Town Guard. A plaque near the traditional execution site now marks the spot where an enraged mob brought Captain Porteous 's life to a brutal end. A popular story in Edinburgh is that of Margaret (or Maggie) Dickson , a fishwife from Musselburgh , whose husband left, possibly press-ganged , to join
10920-427: The Horse Wynd chapel. In 1869, the congregation received £6,000 in compensation in return for vacating their building. The congregation vacated the Horse Wynd building the following year and worshipped nearby at the Protestant Institute on George IV Bridge until 1875, when they purchased the former Catholic Apostolic church on Broughton Street . The SSPCK retained its right to nominate the church's minister even after
11088-423: The King's forces and the Presbyterian Covenanters . The Covenanters, led by Alexander Leslie , captured Edinburgh Castle after a short siege, although it was restored to Charles after the Peace of Berwick in June the same year. The peace was short-lived, however, and the following year the Covenanters took the castle again, this time after a three-month siege, during which the garrison ran out of supplies. The Spur
11256-424: The King's party, with Grange confined to the castle. The truce expired on 1 January 1573, and Grange began bombarding the town. His supplies of powder and shot, however, were running low, and despite having 40 cannons available, there were only seven gunners in the garrison. The King's forces, now with the Earl of Morton in charge as regent, were making headway with plans for a siege. Trenches were dug to surround
11424-432: The Queen Street Church or that both united with St Andrew's . Following several failed meetings, the case was referred to the General Assembly in May 1948. Summarising the contrasting histories of Edinburgh's two Gaelic congregations, J. Boog Thomson, session clerk of St Oran's, told The Scotsman at the time: We represent a minority in the Presbytery by blood and tradition, and many of us by language. We don't think
11592-435: The Signet and the Corporation of Edinburgh supported its £3,000 cost. The new chapel's first minister, Charles Matheson, served for little over a year. Both Gaelic charges were now empty while the new chapel had accrued significant debts. The SSPCK transferred its interest to the new chapel and the two congregations united in 1815. That year, the Chapel Wynd building was sold; it was demolished in 1830s. The united congregation
11760-517: The abolition of patronage in the Church of Scotland in 1874. By the end of the 19th-century, the congregation appears to have been depleted. Responding to reports of the declining use of Gaelic in the worship of Highland parishes, the Gaelic church's minister, Donald Tolmie Masson, wrote to the editor of The Scotsman in April 1896: All these dreary three-and-forty years I have been preaching to my countrymen in this city in their native tongue, and my voice has been vox clamantis in sicco . Never since
11928-409: The archaeological evidence matches the historical records for the development of the Grassmarket. Candlemaker Row had activity from the 11th or 12th century onwards, possibly a farmstead, next to the confluence of two major cattle-droving routes into Edinburgh. The area was urbanized in the late 15th century, with the division of the land into burgage-plots and construction of a tenement, at the same time
12096-482: The area with the poor and homeless only began to lessen in the 1980s: with Salvation Army hostels at both ends of the Grassmarket. Closure of the female hostel at the junction of West Port and the Grassmarket around 2000 in combination with an overall gentrification, capitalising on the street's location, began to truly change the atmosphere. Closure of the public toilets at the east end (a focal point for "jakeys" - drunken-down-and-outs) and comprehensive re-landscaping in
12264-532: The beginning of the 21st century has transformed the character of the area. An inscribed flagstone in the central pavement in front of the White Hart Inn indicates the spot where a bomb exploded during a Zeppelin raid on the city on the night of 2–3 April 1916. Eleven people were killed in the raid, though none at this particular spot. Archaeological excavations in the 2000s, by Headland Archaeology , on Candlemaker Row, in advance of new development, found that
12432-632: The blockade. The Jacobites themselves had no heavy guns with which to respond, and by November they had marched into England, leaving Edinburgh to the castle garrison. Over the next century, the castle vaults were used to hold prisoners of war during several conflicts, including the Seven Years' War (1756–1763), the American War of Independence (1775–1783) and the Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815). During this time, several new buildings were erected within
12600-534: The bombardment began. Over the next 12 days, the gunners dispatched around 3,000 shots at the castle. On 22 May, the south wall of David's Tower collapsed, and the next day the Constable's Tower also fell. The debris blocked the castle entrance, as well as the Fore Well, although this had already run dry. On 26 May, the English attacked and captured the Spur, the outer fortification of the castle, which had been isolated by
12768-489: The castle became a major garrison in the early 18th century. Adjacent to Mills Mount are the 18th-century cart sheds, now tea rooms. The Governor's House to the south was built in 1742 as accommodation for the Governor, Storekeeper, and Master Gunner, and was used until the post of Governor became vacant in the later 19th century; it was then used by nurses of the castle hospital. Today, it functions as an officers' mess , and as
12936-468: The castle for religious Nonconformism in the reign of King James VII . He escaped by disguising himself as his sister's footman , but was recaptured and returned to the castle after his failed rebellion to oust James from the throne in 1685. James VII was deposed and exiled by the Glorious Revolution of 1688, which installed William of Orange as King of England. Not long after, in early 1689,
13104-475: The castle in 1371. It was completed by his successor, Robert II , in the 1370s. The tower stood on the site of the present Half Moon Battery connected by a section of curtain wall to the smaller Constable's Tower, a round tower built between 1375 and 1379 where the Portcullis Gate now stands. In the early 15th century, another English invasion, this time under Henry IV , reached Edinburgh Castle and began
13272-494: The castle to England. A large garrison numbering 325 men was installed in 1300. Edward also brought to Scotland his master builders of the Welsh castles, including Thomas de Houghton and Master Walter of Hereford, both of whom travelled from Wales to Edinburgh. After the death of Edward I in 1307, however, England's control over Scotland weakened. On 14 March 1314, a surprise night attack by Thomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Moray recaptured
13440-428: The castle was subsequently rebuilt by Regent Morton, including the Spur, the new Half Moon Battery and the Portcullis Gate. Some of these works were supervised by William MacDowall , the master of work who fifteen years earlier had repaired David's Tower. The Half Moon Battery, while impressive in size, is considered by historians to have been an ineffective and outdated artillery fortification. This may have been due to
13608-399: The castle", the Grassmarket was, from 1477, one of Edinburgh's main market places , a part of which was given over to the sale of horses and cattle (the name apparently deriving from livestock grazing in pens beyond its western end). Daniel Defoe , who was sent to Edinburgh as an English government agent in 1706, reported the place being used for two open air markets: the "Grass-market" and
13776-570: The castle's role as a royal home subsequently declined. James IV did, however, construct the Great Hall, which was completed in the early 16th century, and the castle featured in his tournaments of the Wild Knight and the Black Lady . His daughter Margaret Stewart was lodged in the castle with her servant Ellen More . James IV was killed in battle at Flodden Field , on 9 September 1513. Expecting
13944-464: The castle, and St Margaret's Well was poisoned. By February, all Queen Mary's other supporters had surrendered to the Regent, but Grange resolved to resist despite water shortages within the castle. The garrison continued to bombard the town, killing a number of citizens. They also made sorties to set fires, burning 100 houses in the town and then firing on anyone attempting to put out the flames. In April,
14112-485: The castle, including powder magazines, stores, the Governor's House (1742), and the New Barracks (1796–1799). A mass prison break in 1811, in which 49 prisoners of war escaped via a hole in the south wall, persuaded the authorities that the castle vaults were no longer suitable as a prison. This use ceased in 1814 and the castle began gradually to assume a different role as a national monument. In 1818, Sir Walter Scott
14280-478: The castle. As the backdrop to the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo during the annual Edinburgh Festival , the castle has become a recognisable symbol of Edinburgh in particular and of Scotland as a whole. The castle stands upon the plug of an extinct volcano , which is estimated to have risen about 350 million years ago during the lower Carboniferous period. The Castle Rock is the remains of
14448-408: The castle. John Barbour 's narrative poem The Brus relates how a party of thirty hand-picked men was guided by one William Francis, a member of the garrison who knew of a route along the north face of the Castle Rock and a place where the wall might be scaled. Making the difficult ascent, Randolph's men scaled the wall, surprised the garrison and took control. Robert the Bruce immediately ordered
14616-554: The castle. The King's party appealed to Elizabeth I of England for assistance, as they lacked the artillery and money required to reduce the castle, and feared that Grange would receive aid from France and the Duke of Alba in the Spanish Netherlands . Elizabeth sent ambassadors to negotiate, and in July 1572 a truce was agreed and the blockade lifted. The town was effectively surrendered to
14784-569: The chapel came under the jurisdiction of Old Greyfriars kirk session and was managed a group of twelve deacons. As a full Gaelic Bible had not been published by the time the chapel opened, the church's reader was responsible for translating the readings into Gaelic. The chapel was the first designated Gaelic-speaking place of worship in lowland Scotland . Gaelic chapels in Glasgow (1770); Perth (1781); Dundee (1791); Greenock (1792); Paisley (1793) soon followed. A Roman Catholic Gaelic chapel
14952-460: The chapel is the last remnant of a square, stone keep, which would have formed the bulk of the 12th-century fortification. The structure may have been similar to the keep of Carlisle Castle , which David I began after 1135. David's successor King Malcolm IV (r.1153–1165) reportedly stayed at Edinburgh more than at any other location. But in 1174, King William "the Lion" (r.1165–1214) was captured by
15120-623: The chapel was raised to the status of a parish quoad sacra . The Disruption of 1843 saw all the church's office holders and almost all of its congregation depart the established church to join the Free Church , creating another Gaelic-speaking congregation in Edinburgh: the Gaelic Free Church . Civic improvements in the Old Town forced the congregation to vacate Horse Wynd in 1870. It settled in
15288-536: The city. At the Disruption of 1843 , the vast majority of the congregation, including all its office-bearers, joined the Free Church . This effectively created a new congregation: the Gaelic Free Church . The Free congregation continued to meet in the Horse Wynd building until 1844. The few congregants who had remained in the established church were not in a position to appoint a new board of trustees until 1845. The established congregation recovered somewhat and, in 1846,
15456-433: The collapse. The following day Grange emerged from the castle by a ladder after calling for a ceasefire to allow negotiations for a surrender to take place. When it was made clear that he would not be allowed to go free even if he ended the siege, Grange resolved to continue the resistance, but the garrison threatened to mutiny. He therefore arranged for Drury and his men to enter the castle on 28 May, preferring to surrender to
15624-532: The congregation introduced an English service to supplement Gaelic worship. During McDonald's ministry, overcrowding in the chapel had remained a problem. To address this, the congregation planned a new chapel. In 1808, a site was purchased on the corner of Horse Wynd and North College Street, near what is now Chambers Street . The new chapel opened in 1813, under the name the Gaelic and English Chapel of Ease . The chapel could accommodate 1,093 worshippers. The Writers to
15792-457: The congregation that year adopted the more distinctive name of "St Oran's" . Saint Kessog and Saint Chattan were also considered as potential dedicatees. In 1916, John Campbell Macgregor, the church's minister since 1911, died of wounds sustained in the First World War and James Duff MacDonald succeeded him as minister the following year. Ahead of the union of the Church of Scotland with
15960-573: The court of Henry II of France , and was said to have the arms of France carved on it. James V's widow, Mary of Guise , acted as regent from 1554 until her death at the castle in 1560. The following year, the Catholic Mary, Queen of Scots, returned from France to begin her reign, which was marred by crises and quarrels among the powerful Protestant Scottish nobility. In 1565, the Queen made an unpopular marriage with Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley , and
16128-558: The double-pile block. The principal external features were the three, three-storey oriel windows on the east façade, facing the town and emphasising that this was a palace rather than just a place of defence. During his visit in 1617, James held court in the refurbished palace block, but still preferred to sleep at Holyrood. In 1621, King James granted Sir William Alexander the land in North America between New England and Newfoundland , as Nova Scotia ("New Scotland"). To promote
16296-462: The early 18th Century and claims to be the oldest public house in Edinburgh and is said to have been visited by Robert Burns (1759–96), the Wordsworths (1803), William Burke and William Hare in the late 1820s. The City Improvement Scheme of 1868 cleared many of the slums and widened streets such as West Port, and the western group of buildings all derive from this plan. A further improvement plan in
16464-424: The early 1990s uncovered evidence of the site having been settled during the late Bronze Age or early Iron Age , potentially making Castle Rock the longest continuously occupied site in Scotland. However, the extent of the finds was not particularly significant and insufficient to draw any certain conclusions about the precise nature or scale of this earliest known phase of occupation. The archaeological evidence
16632-562: The early 19th century onwards, and various restoration programmes have been carried out over the past century and a half. Edinburgh Castle has played a prominent role in Scottish history , and has served variously as a royal residence , an arsenal , a treasury , a national archive , a mint , a prison , a military fortress, and the home of the Honours of Scotland – the Scottish regalia . As one of
16800-408: The eastern end of the Grassmarket. This ill-omened apparition was of great height, with a scaffold surrounding it, and a double ladder placed against it, for the ascent of the unhappy criminal and the executioner. As this apparatus was always arranged before dawn, it seemed as if the gallows had grown out of the earth in the course of one night, like the production of some foul demon; and I well remember
16968-423: The end of the 12th century, Edinburgh Castle was established as the main repository of Scotland's official state papers. A century later, in 1286, on the death of King Alexander III , the throne of Scotland became vacant. Edward I of England was appointed to adjudicate the competing claims for the Scottish crown, but used the opportunity to attempt to establish himself as the feudal overlord of Scotland. During
17136-513: The fact that the 9th Earl of Argyll had been held here prior to his execution in 1685. Described as "restoration in an extreme form", the rebuilding of the Argyle Tower was the first in a series of works funded by the publisher William Nelson. Just inside the gate is the Argyle Battery overlooking Princes Street , with Mills Mount Battery, the location of the One O'Clock Gun, to the west. Below these
17304-466: The first reigning monarch to visit the castle since Charles II in 1651. In 1829, the cannon Mons Meg was returned from the Tower of London, where it had been taken as part of the process of disarming Scotland after "the '45", and the palace began to be opened up to visitors during the 1830s. St Margaret's Chapel was "rediscovered" in 1845, having been used as a store for many years. Works in the 1880s, funded by
17472-486: The following year, in a small room of the Palace at Edinburgh Castle, she gave birth to their son James , who would later be King of both Scotland and England. Mary's reign was, however, brought to an abrupt end. Three months after the murder of Darnley at Kirk o' Field in 1567, she married James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell , one of the chief murder suspects. A large proportion of the nobility rebelled, resulting ultimately in
17640-442: The former Catholic Apostolic Church on Broughton Street in 1875. In 1900, the congregation adopted the name "St Oran's" . The former Gaelic Free Church – by then known as "St Columba's" – had rejoined the Church of Scotland in 1929 due to denominational unions. The General Assembly concluded the maintenance of two small Gaelic-speaking congregations in Edinburgh was unnecessary and, in 1948, St Oran's and St Columba's united to form
17808-623: The fright with which the schoolboys, when I was one of their number, used to regard these ominous signs of deadly preparation. On the night after the execution the gallows again disappeared, and was conveyed in silence and darkness to the place where it was usually deposited, which was one of the vaults under the Parliament House , or courts of justice." The old market area is surrounded by pubs, restaurants, clubs, local retail shops, and two large Apex Hotels . The building dates range from 17th century to 21st century. The White Hart Inn dates from
17976-477: The garrison moved to the city's Redford Barracks. West of the Governor's House, a store for munitions was built in 1747–48 and later extended to form a courtyard, in which the main gunpowder magazine also stood. In 1897 the area was remodelled as a military hospital, formerly housed in the Great Hall. The building to the south of this courtyard is now the National War Museum of Scotland, which forms part of
18144-508: The garrison who resented Regent Arran came to Norham Castle and offered to let the English in. Refortification in 1548 included an earthen angle-bastion, known as the Spur, of the type known as trace italienne , one of the earliest examples in Britain. Brunstane Castle the home of the traitor Alexander Crichton was demolished to provide building materials. The Spur may have been designed by Migliorino Ubaldini , an Italian engineer from
18312-469: The gates from closing. A larger force hidden nearby rushed to join them and the castle was retaken. The 100 English men of the garrison were all killed. The 1357 Treaty of Berwick brought the Wars of Independence to a close. David II resumed his rule and set about rebuilding Edinburgh Castle which became his principal seat of government. David's Tower was begun around 1367, and was incomplete when David died at
18480-522: The hospital building was eventually remodelled in 1897. Following the death of Prince Albert in 1861, the architect David Bryce put forward a proposal for a 50-metre (160 ft) keep as a memorial, but Queen Victoria objected and the scheme was not pursued. In 1905, responsibility for the castle was transferred from the War Office to the Office of Works , although the garrison remained until 1923, when
18648-517: The imprisonment and forced abdication of Mary at Lochleven Castle . She escaped and fled to England , but some of the nobility remained faithful to her cause. Edinburgh Castle was initially handed by its captain, James Balfour , to the Regent Moray , who had forced Mary's abdication and now held power in the name of the infant King James VI. Shortly after the Battle of Langside , in May 1568, Moray appointed Sir William Kirkcaldy of Grange Keeper of
18816-498: The jizzen fecht, ma mooth steekit: no tae scraich, no tae scraich, let nane hear… I stottered oot, doon tae the watter, thocht tae douk her in its cauld jaups, but ower late. I laid her quate in lang reeds, achin tae hae a bit basket tae float her oot like Moses, aa the wey tae England an the sea, gie her a deep grave, ayont kennin; but they fund her, still as a stane whaur she lay; an syne me, wannert gyte agate Kelso toun. “Murther!” they yaldered, “Murther!” like dugs. Embro Tolbooth’s
18984-453: The lack of a Gaelic-speaking minister. Gaelic worship began after the appointment of Neil McVicar as minister of the West Kirk in 1707. McVicar was a Highlander fluent in Gaelic and English. The Presbytery of Argyll approved McVicar's move to Edinburgh on the basis that there were three to four hundred monolingual Gaelic-speakers in the West Kirk's parish, which covered a large area outside
19152-488: The later 14th century, and the near-contemporary account of the life of St Margaret by Bishop Turgot makes no mention of a castle. During the reigns of Malcolm III and his sons, Edinburgh Castle became one of the most significant royal centres in Scotland. Malcolm's son King Edgar died here in 1107. Malcolm's youngest son, King David I (r.1124–1153), developed Edinburgh as a seat of royal power principally through his administrative reforms (termed by some modern scholars
19320-530: The latter congregation has held a weekly Gaelic service, maintaining St Oran's tradition of Gaelic worship in Edinburgh. The following ministers served the Gaelic Chapel (1769–1815); the Gaelic and English Chapel of Ease (1813–1815); the New Gaelic Chapel (1815–1835); the Gaelic Church (1835–1900); and St Oran's Church (1900–1948): † Minister of the Gaelic and English Chapel of Ease The original chapel
19488-627: The line of the Flodden Wall at the western end delineated by a strip of lighter paving from the Vennel on the south side to the newly created Granny's Green Steps on the north side. 55°56′51″N 3°11′46″W / 55.94750°N 3.19611°W / 55.94750; -3.19611 Edinburgh Castle Edinburgh Castle is a historic castle in Edinburgh , Scotland . It stands on Castle Rock , which has been occupied by humans since at least
19656-424: The market place was established in Grassmarket. In 1654, the magistrates designated the street for candle-making, thus how it got its name. The late 18th and early 19th centuries saw the redevelopment of the site and evidence for the use of the area as a brass foundry, in line with the Grassmarket being used as a slum at that time. The Grassmarket was also a traditional place of public executions . A memorial near
19824-479: The memory of John Campbell MacGregor after his death in 1916. In 1921, the congregation unveiled a brass memorial plaque, listing the names of 18 members of the congregation who died in the First World War . This is now housed in Greyfriars Kirk . In 1930, the church was renovated, including the repair of the external steps and the installation of an Estey organ. The former St Oran's Church has been protected as
19992-474: The most eminent and principal place of Scotland." James' successor, King Charles I , visited Edinburgh Castle only once, hosting a feast in the Great Hall and staying the night before his Scottish coronation in 1633. This was the last occasion that a reigning monarch resided in the castle. In 1639, in response to Charles' attempts to impose Episcopacy on the Scottish Church , civil war broke out between
20160-563: The most important strongholds in the Kingdom of Scotland , the castle was involved in many historical conflicts from the Wars of Scottish Independence in the 14th century to the Jacobite rising of 1745 . Research undertaken in 2014 identified 26 sieges in its 1,100-year history, giving it a claim to having been "the most besieged place in Great Britain and one of the most attacked in the world". Few of
20328-475: The move to Broughton Street had affected its congregation. The correspondent nevertheless attributed the bulk of the congregation's decline to Masson's "dry manner and cold reserve". Masson wrote two further letters to The Scotsman to defend himself against these accusations and against another correspondent named "Highland Churchman". Likely motivated by the union of the Free and United Presbyterian churches in 1900,
20496-560: The name " Highland Church " and used the St Columba's buildings. The St Oran's building was sold to Messrs. Nairn for commercial use in 1950. The building is now a clinical science research facility. To mark the bicentenary of the Gaelic Chapel in 1969, a service was held at the site of the first chapel and a commemorative plaque unveiled. The Highland Church united with Tolbooth St John's in 1956 to form Highland, Tolbooth, St John's, which continued to hold Gaelic services. Since Highland, Tolbooth, St John's united with Greyfriars Kirk in 1979,
20664-460: The negotiations, Edward stayed briefly at Edinburgh Castle and may have received homage there from the Scottish nobles. In March 1296, Edward I invaded Scotland, unleashing the First War of Scottish Independence . Edinburgh Castle soon came under English control, surrendering after a three-day-long bombardment. Following the siege, Edward had many Scottish legal records and royal treasures moved from
20832-620: The north and west sides of the castle were built. These were designed by military engineer Captain John Romer , and built by the architect William Adam . They include the Argyle Battery, Mills Mount Battery, the Low Defences and the Western Defences. The last military action at the castle took place during the second Jacobite rising of 1745. The Jacobite army, under Charles Edward Stuart ("Bonnie Prince Charlie"), captured Edinburgh without
21000-574: The nucleus of the later palace block, and a Great Hall was in existence by 1458. In 1464, access to the castle was improved when the current approach road up the north-east side of the rock was created to allow easier movement of the royal artillery train in and out of the area now known as the Upper Ward. In 1479, Alexander Stewart, Duke of Albany , was imprisoned in David's Tower for plotting against his brother, King James III (r.1460–1488). He escaped by getting his guards drunk, and then lowering himself from
21168-524: The office of the Governor since the restoration of the post in 1936. South of the Governor's House is the New Barracks, completed in 1799 to house 600 soldiers, and replacing the outdated accommodation in the Great Hall. They now house the Regimental Headquarters of the Royal Regiment of Scotland and the Regimental Headquarters of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys) as well as
21336-477: The only building occupied by the Gaelic congregation that still stands – is a neoclassical, temple-like building of 1843–1844, attributed to John Dick Peddie . It is now in commercial use. By the late 17th century, the number of Gaelic -speaking migrants from the Highlands in Edinburgh had grown significantly. Attempts to provide a place of worship for them were stymied by the paucity of Gaelic-speaking ministers in
21504-414: The outer and central bays with doors in between) were segmental-arched . The central bay was slightly advanced with an advanced central panel in its attic sotrey. The plan shows the flank of the building as consisting of a simple wall of four bays and two storeys with segmental-arched windows. The chapel could seat 1,000 and the plans for the interior show with a bowed gallery. The Broughton Street building
21672-467: The place a more Continental atmosphere. The Grassmarket was subject to a streetscape improvement scheme carried out 2009–10 at a cost of £5 million. Measures aimed at making the area more pedestrian-friendly included the extension of pavement café areas and the creation of an "events zone". The "shadow" of a gibbet was added in dark paving on the former gallows site (next to the Covenanters' Monument) and
21840-513: The poem relates that the Gododdin were massacred. The Irish annals record that in 638, after the events related in Y Gododdin , "Etin" was besieged by the Angles under Oswald of Northumbria , and the Gododdin were defeated. The territory around Edinburgh then became part of the Kingdom of Northumbria , which was itself absorbed by England in the 10th century. Lothian became part of Scotland, during
22008-682: The present buildings pre-date the Lang Siege of 1573 , when the medieval defences were largely destroyed by artillery bombardment. The most notable exceptions are St Margaret's Chapel from the early 12th century, which is regarded as the oldest building in Edinburgh, the Royal Palace, and the early 16th-century Great Hall. The castle is the site of the Scottish National War Memorial and the National War Museum . The British Army
22176-420: The reign of Indulf (r.954–962). The archaeological evidence for the period in question is based entirely on the analysis of middens (domestic refuse heaps), with no evidence of structures. Few conclusions can therefore be derived about the status of the settlement during this period, although the midden deposits show no clear break since Roman times. The first documentary reference to a castle at Edinburgh
22344-421: The roof. Internally, the church seated 800 on wooden benches. It was paved with flagstones, including one separating the reader's desk from the communion table . The pulpit and reader's desk were covered in green cloth with a bracket for the baptismal bowl in the upper part of the pulpit. Later additions included a chandelier in 1782, a stove, an hour-glass, communion plate, and a money box. Plans submitted to
22512-408: The round Constable's Tower, which was destroyed in the siege. In 1584 the upper parts of the Gatehouse were completed by William Schaw , and these were further modified in 1750. In 1886–1887 this plain building was replaced with a Scots Baronial tower, designed by the architect Hippolyte Blanc , although the original Portcullis Gate remains below. The new structure was named the Argyle Tower, from
22680-486: The same. Our outlook is different. St Columba's are not only mainly representative of the Free Church, but were drawn and recruited from Ross and Cromarty and the fringe of Inverness . They were Mackenzies , MacLeods , and Macdonalds . St Oran's were recruited mainly from Argyll , with a large predominance of Campbells , Shaws , and Macdougals . The struggle between the two congregations has been going on for at least
22848-521: The settlement and plantation of the new territory, the Baronetage of Nova Scotia was created in 1624. Under Scots law , baronets had to "take sasine " by symbolically receiving the earth and stone of the land of which they were baronet. To make this possible, since Nova Scotia was so distant, the King declared that sasine could be taken either in the new province or alternatively "at the castle of Edinburgh as
23016-428: The sinking of a 34-metre (112 ft) deep well, the water supply often ran out during drought or siege, including during the Lang Siege in 1573. Archaeological investigation has yet to establish when the Castle Rock was first used for human habitation. There is no record of any Roman interest in the location during General Agricola 's invasion of northern Britain near the end of the 1st century AD. Ptolemy 's map of
23184-489: The site of the Scottish National War Memorial. Given that the southern part of the Upper Ward (where Crown Square is now sited) was not suited to be built upon until the construction of the vaults in the 15th century, it seems probable that any earlier buildings would have been located towards the northern part of the rock; that is around the area where St. Margaret's Chapel stands. This has been suggested that
23352-444: The site once held a shrine to Morgain la Fee , one of nine sisters. Later, St Monenna, said to be one of nine companions, reputedly invested a church at Edinburgh, as well as at Dumbarton and other places. Similar names are shared by many other Iron Age hillforts and may have simply described a castle that had never been taken by force or derived from an earlier Brittonic name like mag dun . An archaeological excavation in
23520-535: The site once occupied by the gibbet was created by public subscription in 1937. It commemorates over 100 Covenanters who died on the gallows between 1661 and 1688 during the period known as The Killing Time . Their names, where known, are recorded on a nearby plaque. One obdurate prisoner's refusal to escape death by swearing loyalty to the Crown prompted the snide remark by the Duke of Rothes that he had chosen to "glorify God in
23688-425: The so-called "Black Dinner" had taken place in David's Tower, both boys were summarily executed on trumped-up charges in the presence of the 10-year-old King James II (r.1437–1460). Douglas' supporters subsequently besieged the castle, inflicting damage. Construction continued throughout this period, with the area now known as Crown Square being laid out over vaults in the 1430s. Royal apartments were built, forming
23856-453: The start of the Second War of Scottish Independence , and the English forces reoccupied and refortified Edinburgh Castle in 1335, holding it until 1341. This time, the Scottish assault was led by William Douglas, Lord of Liddesdale . Douglas's party disguised themselves as merchants from Leith bringing supplies to the garrison. Driving a cart into the entrance, they halted it there to prevent
24024-544: The surrounding buildings. In the late 18th century the fly coach to London, via Dumfries and Carlisle, set out from an inn at the Cowgate Head at the eastern end of the market place. In 1803 William and Dorothy Wordsworth took rooms at the White Hart Inn, where the poet Robert Burns had stayed during his last visit to Edinburgh in 1791. In her account of the visit Dorothy described it as "not noisy, and tolerably cheap". In his 1961 film Greyfriars Bobby Walt Disney chose
24192-400: The three-month siege. The castle was almost taken in the first Jacobite rising in support of James Stuart , the "Old Pretender", in 1715. On 8 September, just two days after the rising began, a party of around 100 Jacobite Highlanders, led by Lord Drummond , attempted to scale the walls with the assistance of members of the garrison. However, the rope ladder lowered by the castle sentries
24360-715: The time of Ptolemy until around AD 600. Then, in the epic Welsh poem Y Gododdin there is a reference to Din Eidyn, "the stronghold of Eidyn ". This has been generally assumed to refer to the Castle Rock. The poem tells of the Gododdin King Mynyddog Mwynfawr , and his band of warriors, who, after a year of feasting in their fortress, set out to do battle with the Angles at "Catreath" (possibly Catterick ) in Yorkshire. Despite performing glorious deeds of valour and bravery,
24528-564: The town and castle of Edinburgh for Queen Mary, and against the new regent, the Earl of Lennox . The stand-off which followed was not resolved until two years later, and became known as the "Lang Siege", from the Scots word for "long". Hostilities began in May, with a month-long siege of the town, and a second short siege in October. Blockades and skirmishing continued meanwhile, and Grange continued to refortify
24696-591: The transport of cannon, leads upward and around to the north of the Half Moon Battery and the Forewall Battery, to the Portcullis Gate. In 1990, an alternative access was opened by digging a tunnel from the north of the esplanade to the north-west part of the castle, separating visitor traffic from service traffic. The Portcullis Gate was begun by the Regent Morton after the Lang Siege of 1571–73 to replace
24864-529: The troops moved to Redford Barracks in south-west Edinburgh. The castle was again used as a prison during the First World War, when " Red Clydesider " David Kirkwood was confined in the military prison block, and during the Second World War, when downed German Luftwaffe pilots were captured. The position of Governor of Edinburgh Castle , vacant since 1876, was revived in 1935 as an honorary title for
25032-603: The west. Leading off from the south-west corner is the Vennel , on the east side of which can still be seen some of the best surviving parts of the Flodden and Telfer town walls. The view to the north, dominated by the castle, has long been a favourite subject of painters and photographers, making it one of the iconic views of the city. First mentioned in the Registrum Magni Sigilii Regum Scotorum (1363) as "the street called Newbygging [new buildings] under
25200-542: The whole body of the people, with their minister and elders, left the Old Gaelic Church in Argyle Square for the Free Church, now known as St Columba's , leaving not a hoof behind, has the work of my church been other than most depressing. So was it with all my predecessors. In response, another correspondent, writing under the name "Argyle Square", noted that, though the church had been well-attended forty years prior,
25368-416: The will of Sergt. John Munro, by the hand of John Munro, the minister. 1821.) The Free congregation retained these cups and a baptismal basin until the established congregation successfully petitioned for their return in 1854. Grassmarket The Grassmarket is a historic market place , street and event space in the Old Town of Edinburgh , Scotland. In relation to the rest of the city it lies in
25536-405: Was a friend of MacGregor's and a regular worshipper at the chapel. As early as 1787, members of the congregation were raising concerns over the state and capacity of the chapel. That year, Sir John Macgregor Murray gave £50 for the chapel to be enlarged on the condition that the front pew be reserved for him, his family, and, in their absence, any members of his clan who could not afford to rent
25704-469: Was a plain T-plan building with a sloping, red-tiled roof and seating for 800. It had two entrances, both facing onto Castle Wynd. Another pathway connected the chapel to the Castle esplanade . There were four windows on the chapel's east side, glazed with lozenge panes in the bottom and with shutters for ventilation at the top. Similar skylights ventilated the roof of the building. In 1782, gutters were added to
25872-405: Was able to appoint a new minister, Alexander MacKellar. During the ministry of Donald Tolmie Masson between 1862 and 1897, the wider life of the congregation grew stronger: monthly Gaelic evening services began in 1856, a Sabbath School in 1863, and a congregational choir in 1864. The Edinburgh Improvement Act of 1867 provided for the creation of Chambers Street , which required the demolition of
26040-430: Was also established in Edinburgh in 1776 and burnt in anti-Catholic rioting in 1779. The first minister was Joseph Robertson, who had assisted Buchanan at College Street. A member of Clan Gregor , Robertson re-adopted the surname MacGregor after the clan's legal suppression was ended in 1774. During MacGregor's enthusiastic ministry, Edinburgh's Gaelic community became renowned for its probity. The poet Duncan Ban MacIntyre
26208-540: Was also to some extent seen as divine intervention , and so she was allowed to go free. In later life (and legend), she was referred to as "hauf-hingit Maggie" and attracted curiosity as she was seen back in the Grass-market in October 1724, with an item about a crowd forming to see her in the Scots Magazine . She remarried her husband (as ‘death’ had parted them) and lived another 40 years. A poem in Scots appears in
26376-599: Was appointed "master melter of the king's guns". Their output included guns for the Scottish flagship, the " Great Michael ", and the "Seven Sisters", a set of cannons captured by the English at Flodden in 1513. Sir Thomas Howard, England's Lord Admiral, admired their graceful shape and brilliant finish, declaring them the most beautiful [cannon] for their size and length that he had ever seen. From 1510 Dutch craftsmen were also producing hand culverins , an early firearm . After Flodden, Borthwick continued his work, producing an unknown number of guns, but none have survived. He
26544-472: Was badly damaged and was demolished in the 1640s. The Royalist commander James Graham, 1st Marquis of Montrose , was imprisoned here after his capture in 1650. In May 1650, the Covenanters signed the Treaty of Breda , allying themselves with the exiled Charles II against the English Parliamentarians , who had executed his father the previous year. In response to the Scots proclaiming Charles King, Oliver Cromwell launched an invasion of Scotland, defeating
26712-431: Was brought to the castle for safety. Upon his death 25 years later, the crown passed to his week-old daughter, Mary, Queen of Scots . English invasions followed, as King Henry VIII attempted to force a dynastic marriage on Scotland. When the English burnt Edinburgh in May 1544 the gunner Andrew Mansioun firing from the castle destroyed an English cannon placed to bombard the forework. In 1547 disaffected members of
26880-405: Was built in 1968) for the departments of electrical engineering, management and languages. The Mountbatten building was converted and reopened as the Apex International Hotel in 1996. An example of 21st century architecture is Dance Base (2001) by Malcolm Fraser Architects, the Scottish National Centre for Dance, which runs back from a traditional frontage to a multi-level design on the slopes of
27048-480: Was constructed between 1843 and 1844 for a congregation of the Catholic Apostolic Church . The design is attributed to John Dick Peddie ; if this is correct, it would be his earliest completed design. The building is in the Neoclassical style with a facade of five bays under an unadorned pediment . The three central bays are recessed and divided by Ionic pillars. The outer bays are framed by Doric pilasters . Each outer bay features an architraved window with
27216-419: Was finally dissuaded from this course of action by a friend who warned him that the condemned man had become resigned to his fate and might well curse Boswell for bringing him back to life. Sir Walter Scott described his memory of the Grassmarket gibbet in his novel The Heart of Midlothian published in 1818. The fatal day was announced to the public, by the appearance of a huge black gallows-tree towards
27384-407: Was given permission to search the castle for the Crown of Scotland , believed lost after the union of Scotland and England in 1707. Breaking into a sealed room, now known as the Crown Room, and unlocking a chest within, he rediscovered the Honours of Scotland , which were then put on public display with an entry charge of one shilling . In 1822, King George IV made a visit to Edinburgh , becoming
27552-432: Was known as the New Gaelic Chapel . In 1835, the Gaelic Chapel became a parish quoad sacra with a ministry to all Gaelic speakers in Edinburgh rather than to a geographic parish . In 1850, the Court of Teinds supported the congregation's status as the Gaelic parish church for the city and designated it the Gaelic Church and Parish of Edinburgh with no territorial parish but a responsibility to all Gaelic speakers in
27720-419: Was located here. The present Esplanade was laid out as a parade ground in 1753, and extended in 1845. It is upon this Esplanade that the Edinburgh Military Tattoo takes place annually. From the Esplanade the Half Moon Battery is prominent, with the Royal Palace to its left. The Gatehouse at the head of the Esplanade was built as an architecturally cosmetic addition to the castle in 1888. Statues of Robert
27888-445: Was succeeded by French smiths, who began manufacturing hagbuts (another type of firearm) in the 1550s, and by 1541 the castle had a stock of 413. Meanwhile, the royal family began to stay more frequently at the Abbey of Holyrood , about 1 mile (1.6 km) from the castle. Around the end of the fifteenth century, King James IV (r.1488–1513) built the Palace of Holyroodhouse , by the abbey, as his principal Edinburgh residence and
28056-436: Was taken back to Musselburgh on a cart. However, on the way there, the story was that her family went for a wake at an inn (possibly Sheep's Heid Inn, Duddingston ) when they heard noises from the coffin as she awoke. Under Scots Law, her punishment had been carried out, so she could not be executed for a second time for the same crime (only later were the words "until dead" added to the sentence of hanging). Her "resurrection"
28224-411: Was too short, and the alarm was raised after a change of the watch. The Jacobites fled, while the deserters within the castle were hanged or flogged. In 1728, General Wade reported that the castle's defences were decayed and inadequate, and a major strengthening of the fortifications was carried out throughout the 1720s and 1730s. This was the period when most of the artillery defences and bastions on
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