The Castle, Edinburgh
Picturesque Scotland: Its Romantic Scenes & Historical Associations Described in Lay and Legend, Song and Story
1887?
Large-scale composite woodblock engraving
16.8 cm high x 12.3 cm wide (6 ½ by 5 inches), p. 18, partly framed.
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Scanned image and text by Philip V. Allingham.
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The Castle, Edinburgh, stands 300 feet above the highest part of the new town, and about 383 above the sea; and the rock upon which it is built is so precipitous, that it is best to reach it by way of the Castle-hill, which is a continuation of the High-street, and the reader will for the present be good enough to take for granted that we have followed that route, and have now passed through the beautiful Esplanade into the fortress itself. [17]
We pass now from gay, picturesque gay, picturesque — we might almost say statuesque we might almost say statuesque — Princes-street, and we stand upon the grey old Castle rock. Truth to tell we feel the air more pure and bracing about us here than down amongst the citizens of New Edinburgh; and if any of these latter grumble at our saying so, we cannot help it. Here we are amongst greater men and so far in grander times; and we are going to carry our readers back into the old days when Princes-street Gardens were a sheet of water, and the street itself was nowhere.
The Castle stands 300 feet above the highest part of the new town, and about 383 above the sea; and the rock upon which it is built is so precipitous, that it is best to reach it by way of the Castle-hill, which is the continuation of the High-street, and the reader will for the present be good enough to take for granted that we have followed that route, and have now passed through the beautiful Esplanade into the fortress itself. We shall take a general "walk through" first, and talk of the history of this castle. In its modern form it is not, after all, so very old, save in some small part. For it was destroyed almost to the foundation in 1572, and it is only by a figure of speech that we speak of it as identical with the old stronghold, the history of which carries us back into ancient times, and which is well described by Dr. Daniel Wilson as having been the "nucleus around which the town has gradually risen." This, no doubt, was the famous "Castrum Puellarum," Castle of the Maidens, in which the "daughters of the Pictish kings and chiefs were kept and educated, till they were married, this being considered a necessary safeguard in those barbaric ages." It links us on also to the days of Edwin of Northumbria, of whom we have already spoken, and who restored — rather refounded — it in the year 626. It stands there now as it were a silent witness, in its own historical identity and yet changed estate, of the progress of the race, ever changing in its forms, ever reforming and being reformed, and yet in root ever the same.
It was unhappily due to the many feuds which raged in Scotland between party and party that this noble building was destroyed in the year 1573. The unfortunate Mary was then, as all who are acquainted with Scottish history will remember, the centre around which the feuds revolved ; and the immediate cause of the attack upon Edinburgh Castle was the civil war which broke out between the adherents of Queen Mary and those of the "King," i. e., of her own infant son James, in whose favour it had suited the ambition of a party to force the Queen to abdicate. This war had lingered on thorough five weary years, when Queen Elizabeth, who took, as it were, a stepmotherly interest in Scottish affairs, thought the time had come for her interference. Let us hear the story as it is told by Sir Walter Scott in his "Tales of a Grandfather":—
"After these hostilities had existed for about five years, the Duke of Chatelherault, and the Earl of Huntly, the two principal nobles who had supported the Queen's cause, submitted themselves to the King's authority, and to the sway of the Regent. Kirkaldy of Grange, assisted by the counsels of Maitland of of Lethington, continued to maintain the castle of Edinburgh against Morton. But Queen Elizabeth, who became now desirous of ending the Scottish dissension, sent Sir William Drury from Berwick with a considerable number [1,500] of regular forces, and, what was still more needful, a large train of artillery, which formed a close siege around the castle of Edinburgh. The garrison were, however, much more distressed for provisions than by the shot of the English batteries. It was not till after a valiant defence, in the course of which one of the springs which supplied the fortress with water was dried up, and the other became choked with ruins, that the gallant Kirkaldy was compelled to capitulate.
After a siege of thirty-three days he surrendered to the English general, who promised that his mistress should intercede with the Regent for favourable treatment to the governor and his adherents. This might the rather have been expected, because Morton and Kirkaldy had been at one time great friends. But the Regent was earnest in demanding the life of his valorous opponent; and Elizabeth, with little regard to her general's honour or her own, abandoned the prisoners to Morton's vengeance. Kirkaldy and his brother were publicly executed, to the great regret even of many of the King's party themselves. Maitland of Lethington, more famed for talents than integrity, despaired of obtaining mercy where none had been extended to Kirkaldy, and put a period to his existence by taking poison. Thus ended the civil wars of Queen Mary's reign, with the death of the bravest soldier, and of the ablest statesman, in Scotland; for such were Kirkaldy and Maitland.
From the time of the surrender of Edinburgh Castle, 29th May, 1573, the Regent Morton was in complete possession of the supreme power in Scotland. As Queen Elizabeth had been his constant friend during the civil wars, he paid devoted attention to her wishes when he became the undisputed ruler of the kingdom."
It was impossible that Edinburgh could remain long without its castle, and in 1574 steps were taken for its restoration. Ere long the fortress was reared again, and as it then became so it remains substantially now, save for the wear of time.
Having now in imagination wandered about the old place and talked a little about its past, let us come back again to the "portcullis," and start from this point on our expedition to the various special points of interest. Here, first of all, just close by the gate, is the State-prison, which we are well enough pleased to pass under, not to enter. This prison has acquired an interest mainly from the remarkable men who have had their sad abode within its walls, — amongst them, as is supposed, the Marquess of Argyle and the Earl of Argyle, who were executed, the one in the reign of Charles II., the other in that of James II.; and certainly many of the Pretender's followers after their defeat in 1746, and Watt and Downie, two political offenders noteworthy in their time, in 1794.
We pass onwards into the palace yard, and enter what is called the crownroom, where are kept the Regalia the crown, the sceptre, the sword of state, and my Lord Treasurer's rod.
The story of the Regalia is a very interesting one. After the union of the English and Scottish Parliaments in 1707, these insignia, along with the treasurer's mace, were placed in a huge oaken chest, and put in the "crownroom," the window of which was secured by very strong gratings. The entrance to the room was also secured by two doors, one of iron, the other of oak, both being provided with the strongest possible bolts and locks. Some time afterwards, since they were no longer exhibited to public gaze, a panic arose, and it was freely hinted that in jealousy the Regalia had been removed to England. Even Arnot, the historian of Edinburgh, took up the cry, and insisted that if the officers of the Government and the Castle would not make inquiry whether the Regalia were in the Castle, the public would be " entitled to conclude that they were not there."
The excitement seems to have died down. . . . ["The Castle of Edinburgh," pp. 17-19]
Watt, Francis M., and Andrew Carter. "The Castle of Edinburgh." Picturesque Scotland: Its Romantic Scenes & Historical Associations Described in Lay and Legend, Song and Story.. London: John M. Murdoch [1887?], pp. 17-21.
Created 2 June 2025
