Latest / The Story of Scotland: Clans, Crowns, and the Fight for Identity — Fexingo History / Edinburgh Castle: Fortress of Scotland's History
Transcript
- Lucas: So, Luna, we've talked about a lot of battles and turning points in Scottish history, but there's one place that's been present for almost all of them: Edinburgh Castle. Luna: The big fortress on the rock? It's kind of the symbol of Scotland, isn't it? Lucas: Exactly. But the rock itself is ancient — volcanic, formed 350 million years ago. People have lived on it since at least the Iron Age. By the 11th century, it was already a royal stronghold. Luna: Wait, so the castle predates the whole Wars of Independence? Lucas: Absolutely. The first written record of a royal castle there comes from King Malcolm III, who died in 1093. His wife, Queen Margaret — later Saint Margaret — built a tiny chapel on the rock. That chapel is still standing, the oldest building in Edinburgh. Lucas: But during the Wars of Independence, the castle really comes into its own as a military prize. It changed hands many times — between the Scots and the English, and even between different Scottish factions. Luna: How many times did it actually change hands? Lucas: Historians count at least twenty-six sieges in its history. That's more than any castle in Britain, and probably Europe. One of the most dramatic was in 1314, just before Bannockburn. Lucas: The English held the castle, and the Scots, led by Thomas Randolph — nephew of Robert the Bruce — launched a night assault. A small party scaled the cliff face, which everyone thought was impossible, and took the garrison by surprise. Luna: They climbed that sheer rock? At night? Lucas: They did. Randolph had seen that the north face was less guarded, and he picked his best climbers. They used ropes and grappling hooks, and in the dark, they made it up. Once they were inside, they opened the gates for the main force. The English commander surrendered within hours. Lucas: But the Scots didn't hold it long. After Bannockburn, Bruce ordered the castle slighted — its defences destroyed — to prevent the English from using it again. So for a while, the castle was basically a ruin. Luna: Did they rebuild it right away? Lucas: Not until the 1330s, when the English retook it and started rebuilding. And then it went back and forth for generations. The castle wasn't finally secured for Scotland until 1341, when a trick got the Scots inside again. Lucas: The story goes that a Scottish knight, Sir William Douglas, disguised his men as merchants bringing supplies. They managed to get the gate open, and then the rest of the Scottish force rushed in. It's the kind of ruse you'd expect from a Hollywood movie. Luna: It's like a Scottish Trojan horse. Lucas: Exactly. Now, later centuries saw the castle become more of a royal residence. James IV built the Great Hall around 1500 — it's still there, with its hammerbeam roof. Mary Queen of Scots gave birth to her son, James VI, in the Royal Palace in 1566. That boy would go on to unite the crowns of Scotland and England. Luna: So the castle was also a nursery for kings. Lucas: It was. But the most famous siege of Edinburgh Castle came in 1571–73, during the civil wars that followed Mary's deposition. It's called the 'Lang Siege' because it lasted nearly two years. Lucas: Mary's supporters held the castle against the regent, James Douglas, Earl of Morton. They had a huge cannon called Mons Meg — which is still on display there — but it was more of a showpiece by then. The castle was bombarded from the surrounding hills, but the walls held. Eventually, the defenders ran out of food and surrendered. Luna: That cannon, Mons Meg — I've seen pictures. It's enormous. Did it actually work in battle? Lucas: It was made in the 1440s for Duke Philip the Good of Burgundy, who gave it to James II. It could fire a 150-kilogram stone ball over a mile. But by the 16th century, it was mostly a ceremonial piece. It actually burst when it was fired in 1682 to salute the Duke of York — that's why it's not in service anymore. Lucas: After the Lang Siege, the castle was used more as a military base and prison. During the Jacobite risings, it was held by government forces. And in the 18th and 19th centuries, it became a prison for prisoners of war — French soldiers from the Napoleonic Wars, even some American privateers from the Revolution. Luna: American prisoners in Edinburgh Castle? I didn't know that. Lucas: Yes. In the War of 1812, captured American sailors were held there. The conditions were pretty grim — overcrowding, disease. One prisoner carved his name into a cell door; it's still visible today. Lucas: Now, one of the most famous episodes in the castle's modern history is the return of the Stone of Destiny in 1996. You remember the Stone — it was taken by Edward I in 1296, and it was used in English coronations for centuries. In 1950, some Scottish nationalists stole it from Westminster Abbey and left it at Arbroath Abbey. But it wasn't officially returned to Scotland until 1996, and it was placed in the Crown Room of Edinburgh Castle. Luna: Where it sits now, with the Honours of Scotland. Lucas: That's right. The Honours — the crown, sceptre, and sword — are the oldest crown jewels in Britain. They were used at the coronations of Scottish kings until the Union of the Crowns in 1603. Then they were locked away in the castle, and they were almost forgotten until Sir Walter Scott rediscovered them in 1818. Lucas: And there's one more thing that draws visitors every day: the One O'Clock Gun. It's a tradition that started in 1861, when a time ball on the castle dropped at 1 PM so ships in the Firth of Forth could set their chronometers. They added the gun a few years later so people could hear it even in fog. It's still fired every day except Sundays and Christmas. Luna: So the castle is still very much alive. Lucas: It is. And of course, like any old fortress, it has its share of ghosts. There's a famous story of a headless drummer boy who appears before a siege. And a piper who vanished in the tunnels under the castle — his piping is said to be heard sometimes, but he was never found. Luna: Okay, that's genuinely creepy. But also kind of fitting for a place that's seen so much history. Lucas: Exactly. Edinburgh Castle isn't just a monument — it's a living palimpsest of Scotland's story. Every stone has a story, and every century has left its mark. From Iron Age fort to royal palace, from siege fortress to tourist attraction, it's been at the heart of Scottish identity for a thousand years. Luna: And the view from the top is pretty spectacular too. Lucas: That it is. On a clear day, you can see all the way to the Forth bridges and beyond. It's a view that connects you to the landscape that shaped all these stories. And that's a perfect place to end this episode.