What To See In Edinburgh Castle
For most tourists to Scotland’s capital city, a visit to Edinburgh Castle is an essential part of their trip. There’s so much to see inside though that it can be a little overwhelming. This isn’t just one building with a neat one way system, it’s an enormous sprawling complex!
With millions of visitors every year, it can get pretty crowded in there and easy to miss some of the highlights. Instead of aimlessly wandering around, I’ve put together this list of exactly what to see in Edinburgh Castle. Pay attention as you go and remember that on this rock, you’re walking in the footsteps of Kings, Queens and heroic Scots.
Look Up To William Kirkcaldy
As you walk through the gatehouse to the inner defences, one of the first things to see in Edinburgh Castle is a plaque high on the walls above. It commemorates William Kirkcaldy, the man who held Edinburgh Castle on behalf of Mary Queen of Scots. The famous monarch had been forced to abdicate and her young son declared King James VI. Scotland was in the midst of a civil war.
In a complicated time, William found himself with a foot in both camps. Initially he seemed to be against Mary, furious at her marriage to the Earl of Bothwell and even defeating her army at the Battle of Langside. Then in 1570, William suddenly swapped sides and saw Edinburgh Castle secured in her name. He broke his supporters out of the town prison and set about fortifying their position.
Fortunately for William and his small army, Edinburgh Castle has always been a tough nut to crack. However, even walls as strong as these can’t hold forever and things took a nasty turn after the besiegers poisoned the castle’s water supply. Large cannons were soon hauled up from England and Mary’s supporters bombarded for ten straight days.
They had little option but to surrender and while the soldiers were pardoned, William Kirkcaldy was hanged at the Mercat Cross. King James would eventually recognise the man’s bravery and exemplary record as a Scottish patriot. He issued a posthumous pardon and returned lands and titles to William’s heirs. Thankfully he is now remembered fondly with this plaque, even if most people who visit Edinburgh Castle never even see it!
Admire The Bravery Of Thomas Randolph
Through the second gatehouse and you might spot another plaque to a hero on the other side of one of Edinburgh’s many sieges. In 1314, Thomas Randolph, was the man tasked by Robert the Bruce to retake Edinburgh Castle from its English garrison. It wasn’t an easy prospect without the firepower to knock the walls down or the time to starve them out.
That didn’t reassure Piers de Lombard, the English keeper of the castle though. He was so afraid that the Scots would find a way in, his men were forced to lock him in the dungeon to stop him making a deal. It seems they were overconfident of their position against such a small group of Scots.
But Thomas had a secret weapon in the form of William Francis, son of a former governor of Edinburgh Castle. While growing up inside the fortress, William had been a bit of a ladies man, but there weren’t many eligible girls in the garrison. So the young man created a safe climbing route up and down castle rock, allowing him to visit his girlfriend in the city below.
In the dead of night, Thomas and 30 of his best men quietly followed William, climbing up to the ramparts. Silencing the guards, they opened the gates for the rest of their force to rush inside Edinburgh Castle. The Scots had taken one of the strongest castles in the country, all thanks to wits, stealth and one man’s love of the ladies.
Watch The One O’Clock Gun
Spaced along the walls of Edinburgh Castle, 18-pounder cannons keep watch over the city below. Look out for one much more modern cannon that seems a little out of place. It might not look like much but this is actually one of the most famous things to see in Edinburgh Castle! You just need to make sure you’re here at the right time because this is the One O’Clock Gun.
Fired every day apart from Sunday, Christmas and Good Friday, you’ll want to arrive a little bit before 1pm to get a good view. This tradition has been ongoing almost unbroken since 1861, an age before digital clocks made timekeeping simple. Surprisingly, it was never for the benefit of the people of Edinburgh, but to help the sailors in Leith.
In 1852, a timeball was installed atop the Nelson Monument on Calton Hill, linked to the nearby observatory. It allowed ship’s captains to set their clocks exactly to 1pm whenever they saw the ball drop. Unfortunately, Edinburgh is often plagued by thick seafog called haar and so the gun was introduced as an audio cue for when vision failed.
The signal is something that locals are proud of and any tourists wandering Princes Street who haven’t been pre-warned are terrified of!
Explore Two War Museums
As part of your entry to Edinburgh Castle, you get access to the National War Museum of Scotland. This deceptively large collection tells the story of Scotland’s military past from the start of its first professional army in the 1600s. There’s a fascinating collection of weaponry, uniforms, bagpipes and flags amongst other displays, each with their own story to tell.
My pick of the stories surrounds a regimental mascot, although not one you’d expect to see in Edinburgh Castle. When the 78th Highlanders returned to Scotland from what’s now Sri Lanka in the 1830s, they brought an elephant along with them. It was billeted in the stables at Edinburgh Castle, spending its days in the marching band or stealing beer from the soldier’s supplies!
You’ll also find another museum in Edinburgh Castle though, dedicated to the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards. This regiment has its roots in troops raised to fight for Charles II against the Covenanters back in the 17th century. They’ve been central to the Scottish and then British army ever since and a highlight of the museum has to be a French Eagle taken at the Battle of Waterloo!
Head Down To The Prison
One of the darker things to see in Edinburgh Castle can be found tucked away in a forgotten corner. Situated up on castle rock, while the fortress was hard to break into, it was also hard to escape from. Throughout its history the castle was used as a military prison and you can find this area set up like it would have been towards the end of the 18th century.
French, Spanish, American and Irish prisoners of war were held down here in awful conditions. There were a fair few pirates dragged here from Leith harbour locked up tightly as well. However, it turned out that Edinburgh Castle wasn’t quite as secure as once thought.
There are many stories of escape attempts, from a man hiding amongst a pile of human waste to a lady who smuggled an escape rope inside some butter. My favourite prison-break is the Great Escape of 1811, where 49 French prisoners chiselled a hole in the thick castle walls, before climbing down their washing lines. They were all later captured and brought back to Edinburgh Castle, no doubt with extra guards!
Listen Closely Inside The Great Hall
A grand fortress like Edinburgh Castle needs an equally grand entertaining space and look no further than the Great Hall. Built in the early 1500s for King James IV, a popular, Renaissance monarch who enjoyed the finer things in life!
Inside, displays of arms and armour line the walls with an impressive hammerbeam roof soaring above your head. There’s not a single metal nail or screw holding it together but don’t worry, it’s proven very secure over the last 500 years. Keep gazing skywards and look closely at the stone corbels jutting out to hold the beams up.
One side contains symbols representing James like the thistle, Scottish lion and his initials. The other has been designed for his English wife Margaret Tudor, showing roses, Venus and the Green Man. Another of my favourite things to see in Edinburgh Castle is also high up in the Great Hall – The Laird’s Lug.
Covered by a grate now up and to the right of the main fireplace, this was an early form of espionage. After the King had made his excuses and retired to bed, he could sneak up a little staircase to a this hidden hole. Here he could listen in to what people were through the Laird’s Lug which is Scots for Lord’s Ear!
Marvel At The Honours of Scotland
Inside the Royal Palace, adjacent to the hall in Crown Square you can marvel at the Honours of Scotland. These are the crown, sceptre and sword once used by the Kings and Queens of Scots and the oldest complete set in Western Europe. The impressive crown was made for King James V in 1540 from Scottish gold, covered in freshwater pearls and other gemstones.
After the Act of Union, the newer British Crown Jewels were preferred for coronations, so the Honours of Scotland were locked away and almost forgotten about. Fortunately, Walter Scott requested permission to mount a search in 1818 and uncovered the treasures once again. They’ve been a popular thing to see in Edinburgh Castle ever since!
Next to the Honours of Scotland sits the Stone of Scone otherwise known as the Stone of Destiny. This crude lump of sandstone is the ancient seat traditionally used to crown dozens of Kings of Scots and Kings of Dalriada before them. There are countless legends surrounding the stone, said to be Jacob’s Pillow brought to Scotland from the Holy Land.
It was stolen by Edward I of England in 1296 and taken down to Westminster Abbey in London. He thought that by taking this symbol of the Scottish monarchy and reminder that their throne was older, he would crush the Scots’ spirit. It almost worked, but thankfully enough brave souls fought and died to ensure that Scotland would live on.
The Stone of Scone was never returned though, it remained in the English coronation chair for centuries. Then on Christmas Day 1950, a group of Scottish students liberated the Stone and smuggled it back to Scotland. They returned the relic as a patriotic symbol and in 1996 it was officially moved back to Scotland and kept here in Edinburgh Castle.
Pay Your Respects At The National War Memorial
Constructed in the 1920s and designed by famous Scottish architect Robert Lorimer, the National War Memorial is a solemn site. It commemorates every Scottish soldier who has died fighting for their country since the First World War.
For those visiting Edinburgh Castle to pay respects to a specific person, there are books containing the names of around 200,000 soldiers lining the walls. Take some time to look through and remember these men and women’s sacrifice.
This is more than just a monument to those people who fought though, there were animals who suffered alongside. Lorimer was adamant that they should be remembered as well so look around for their memorials too. Lastly, the image of hope stands above the door as you leave. Holding a broken sword, it serves as an important symbol after being reminded of the horrors of war.
Squeeze Into St Margaret’s Chapel
Understated and often underappreciated, St Margaret’s Chapel is the oldest building in Edinburgh. It was probably built by her son King David I, a man with a passion for churches, also founding Holyrood Abbey at the bottom of the Royal Mile. He dedicated the building to Queen Margaret, making sure it occupied the very highest point on Castle Rock.
St Margaret was the wife of King Malcolm III and as her name suggests, an incredibly pious woman. She founded the ferry across the river Forth for pilgrims heading to Dunfermline and St Andrews, now known as Queensferry. Once an English princess on the run from William the Conqueror, Margaret’s ship landed in Fife where she met the King of Scots.
This gruff, warrior King fell madly in love and the two of them were soon married in Dunfermline. Sadly, in 1093 Malcolm was killed in battle and when news reached Edinburgh Castle, it was too much for saintly Margaret. She took to her bed grief-stricken and died a month later.
When Thomas Randolph captured Edinburgh Castle in 1314, all the buildings were demolished but Robert the Bruce made sure this chapel was left untouched. It’s had an odd history since, even being used as a gunpowder store at one point. It’s not until the early 20th century that we see the chapel become what it is today including the beautiful stained glass.
Those windows show Saints Andrew, Columba, Margaret and Ninian as well as William Wallace. Not yet a saint but who knows what might happen! Some of Scotland’s most important Kings and Queens used this chapel and you can kneel in exactly the same spot they did. You can really feel the history in that tiny space, so this is one spot you definitely have to see in Edinburgh Castle!
Admire Massive Mons Meg
You might be surprised to hear that one of the most impressive things to see in Edinburgh Castle is a rather large lady. Her name is Mons Meg and she’s an enormous cannon sitting right beside St Margaret’s Chapel. One of the largest calibre guns ever made, she was built in 1449 as a gift from Philip of Burgundy to King James II.
He was obsessed with newly invented artillery, although his passion would become his doom. James was killed by an exploding cannon at the siege of Roxburgh Castle, although thankfully it wasn’t Meg. She could fire 150kg stone balls around two miles and was used to level castle walls for around 100 years!
After then this iconic gun was used for purely ceremonial purposes, until her barrel finally cracked in 1680. Legend says the charge had been set by an English gunner, far larger than required in a deliberate attempt to destroy Meg. The sabotage said to sprout from jealousy that Scotland had such an impressive weapon.
Discover Details Of The Black Dinner
Before James II was busy with his cannons and still only ten years old, he was a pawn in the struggle between different factions trying to control him. For over a century, the Douglas family had been one of the most powerful clans in the country. Archibald Douglas was to be regent until James came of age, but when he suddenly died, his heir was only 15 years old.
The other Scottish nobles had been more than a little jealous of Douglas and this was their chance to stamp their own authority on the nation. Sir William Crichton took control of the young King and invited the new teenage Earl of Douglas to dine at Edinburgh Castle.
A feast was held in the great hall of Edinburgh Castle for the King, Douglas and his little brother. It’s likely that none of the three boys had any idea that something was amiss. Then while they were eating their dinner, the head of a black bull was brought in and dropped on the table in front of the Douglas brothers.
It was a sign of death and treachery. There was nothing the King could do but watch in shock as the other two boys were dragged outside for a quick, sham trial on Castlehill. Convicted of High Treason, they were beheaded aged only 16 and 12. Definitely not Edinburgh Castle’s finest moment, but an important one to remember.
Listen For The Ghost Of Edinburgh Castle
Of course the most besieged castle in Scotland is going to have a ghost or two! It’s said that when the castle was being set up as a modern military barracks, an opening to a small tunnel was found. That’s not unusual thing to find in a castle, but they had to find out where it went.
With the tunnel being so small and orphan children so numerous, a little boy was sent down with a set of bagpipes. Playing a tune while he walked the tunnel meant that the men could hear where it led to from above. The plan was working as they followed down the Royal Mile, right until they got to the Tron Kirk. Where the tunnel might have met the South Bridge vaults, the music mysteriously stopped.
They waited and waited but neither the music nor the little boy reappeared. Their only option would be to send another orphan after the first, but who knows what would happen to that one! They couldn’t just leave a mysterious opening into a military fortification though. In the end, the decision was to brick up the entrance, sealing the poor wee piper’s fate.
While the sound of bagpipes on the Royal Mile isn’t unusual, that’s during the day. Late at night ,when the rest of the city is quiet, the sound of pipes can sometimes be heard beneath your feet. That scared little piper boy still trying to find his way out.
How To Visit Edinburgh Castle
Hopefully now you know what to see in Edinburgh Castle, you’re desperate to visit! Getting there is easy, you genuinely can’t miss the fortress up on Castle Rock right in the middle of Edinburgh. Just wander up the Royal Mile and when you can’t get any higher, you’ve arrived!
Getting inside isn’t always as easy though, especially in the summer months unless you’re prepared. Make sure that you book tickets ahead, then you can just pick them up at the collection desk or scan them from your phone. Even if you’re a Historic Scotland member, booking a specific timeslot is essential to guarantee entry!
If you’re interested in visiting Edinburgh Castle as part of a Tour around Scotland, then get in touch about Scotland’s Stories Driving Tours!
Once you’ve visited Edinburgh, you’d better head west and discover the stories of Stirling Castle too!
2 Comments
Miriam A Maddock · November 29, 2022 at 12:55 am
Great article, Graeme! 👏🏼 Never knew that about the lost orphan with the bagpipes. There’s always something new to discover each time I revisit Edinburgh Castle.
Graeme · November 29, 2022 at 8:11 am
I think lots of people who visit for the first time are overwhelmed by the size of it! Definitely deserves a few visits to get the most out of it!