Edinburgh Castle  10/11/05

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During our last vacation here, we came to Edinburgh but we didn't get to see the castle.  This time John wanted to see the castle and, more specifically, the Stone of Destiny.

We arrived in Edinburgh and cruised around for street parking.  We walked to the end of the street and caught a cab to the castle because it was sprinkling.  After getting there we realized that we pretty much took a cab around the corner.  Oh well... easy fare.
Back in the age of castles, the best spot is one that has great views all around so that you can see your enemies coming.  In that regard, Edinburgh is perfect - it's a castle that seems to sprout from the rocks on top of this hill.
Patrick (right) enters the former domain of the Bruce's.
Where does the rock end and masonry begin?
This is the gift shop.  I believe it is a former barracks.  There is still an army detachment at the castle.
Patrick is a good brother, keeping his sister dry.
It was cold, wet and windy during our visit and the spaces between the buildings seem to act as channels for the wind.  I wouldn't help but think as I wandered through - soggy & shivering - Scotland is cold, we are up on top of a rock with nothing around the rock to shelter it from the elements and.... this was the cool place to live 500-600 years ago?....  Man it would kinda' suck now, in the era of good heating.
As I said before... major views in all directions.
How has this view changed over the last 800 years?
Beautiful chapel wall.
Is this the nave?
"Mons Meg" was built in Mons in Belgium. "Meg" is a Scottish short form of "Margaret". The gun, one of a pair of a type known as a "bombard", was presented to King James II in 1457. It looked impressive and packed a punch as a siege weapon - the missiles it fired weighed 330 pounds/150kg and they traveled a distance of two miles. But it was unwieldy and was difficult to move around, especially in the days before proper roads were built.   It was retired to ceremonial use but the barrel burst in 1681 and had to be repaired (it has never been fired again). At one stage it was on display in the Tower of London but was returned to Edinburgh Castle in 1829.
St Margaret's Chapel.    Macbeth was succeeded by King Malcolm III, who married the Princess Margaret after she found refuge in Scotland when her family was excluded from the English throne by William the Conqueror.  St Margaret's Chapel is the oldest building in Edinburgh, and one of the loveliest examples of Norman architecture in Britain.
The Royal Palace in Edinburgh Castle.
The coats of arms of the royal bloodlines.
The Stone of Destiny, in a nut shell, is believed to be Jacobs pillar (Beth El).  It was taken to Ireland by Jeremiah where it was used as a coronation stone and then moved to Scotland when the Irish king relocated the throne to Scone.  It was used as the Scottish coronation stone until Edward I of England seized it and took it to London where it remained for 700 years as the coronation stone in Westminster Abbey, until 1996 when it was returned to Scotland.
After a series of rebellions, Robert the Bruce was crowned king of a newly united Scotland.
The scepter and royal sword of Scotland we presented by the Popes circa 1500.


 

U.S. to Glasgow to Edinburgh          Edinburgh

Alnwick       Edlington       Corbridge       Roman Vindolanda

Housesteads       Croxteth Hall/Liverpool       Langholm - "The Muckle Toon"

Edinburgh Castle       Sterling to Callendar & The Trussochs to Glasgow