June 2018 – xoxo-sk

Another day, another castle. I’m so happy. Pictures below show the Royal Mile circa 1600s (D.D.D.C.), with Edinburgh Castle sitting atop the Mile to the West (left) and Holyrood Palace laying on the bottom (right.)

On your way east, towards the Palace, you come across John Knox’s House. It was built in the 1490s. It’s debatable if or for how long he actually lived there however. (It was also believed to be home of Queen Mary’s goldsmith.) Knox was the Scottish leader of the Protestant Reformation, founding the Presbyterian Church of Scotland.

The Catholic Queen Mary and the the Protestant John Knox had a turbulent relationship.

Right before you get to the Palace, on your left, is Canongate Kirk. It was built in 1688-1691. The Queens Granddaughter, Zara Phillips, was married there.

While Edinborough Castle is an old, ancient military fortress, Holyrood Place is more modern and decorative. The original Palace was built in 1503 by King James IV (previously Royals had stayed in the Abbey’s guesthouse.) It was the primary residence of Scottish Kings and Queens until 1603. That changed when King James became the King of England and moved to London. Presently, it is Queen Elizabeth II’s official Scottish residence. She stays there for a week in the summer.

You walk through the main entrance to an inner courtyard.

Sadly, you aren’t allowed to take pictures inside the Palace. You get to see the Royal Apartments, ceremonial rooms, and Queen Mary’s historic chambers. For all of those interested in Mary, Queen of Scots, it was amazing. You get to see her bedchamber, outer chamber, and supper room. In her private chambers, she saw her husband, Lord Darnley, murder her secretary, Rizzio. It was the beginning of the end for the tragic Queen. If you don’t know her story, it is definitely an intriguing one.

Mary, Queen of Scots and the Murder of Lord Darnley by Alison Weir and Mary, Queen of Scots by Lady Antonia Fraser are excellent reads if you are interested.

They are ready for the Royal Wedding in the gift shop.

The Palace Gardens

The Ruins of Holyrood Abbey. The Abbey was founded by King David I in 1128. The nave is the only surviving part of what was once a grand Church. It was the site of Royal coronations and funerals. The Abby’s guesthouse was what eventually became the Palace.

Behind Holyrood Palace is the scenic Arthur’s Seat.

King Arthur’s Seat is part of Holyrood Park, a 640 acre Royal Park that sits beside the Palace. It is an ancient volcano that is 250 m above the city. Andy loves me, so he did not make me climb to the highest peak, just the second highest. Views were amazing, even on a misty day.

Carlton Hill is sits near the city center. It offers a lovely view of the city and houses multiple Scottish monuments. Here are some pictures of a few favorites, I won’t make you suffer through them all.

The Robert Burns Monument. Burns is a well known Scots poet who lived in the late 1700s. He wrote Auld Lang Syne (the song everyone plays at New Year’s.)

The (unfinished) Acropolis is the “National Monument.” It was started after Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo, to memorialize the soldiers who had died during the Napoleonic wars.

The Old Observatory House.

The Scottish-American Soldier Monument is in the Old Carlton Cemetery. Built in 1893, it commemorates the Scots who died in America’s Civil War.

The beautiful Balmoral Hotel on Princess Street. Two fun facts. 1. J.K. Rowling finished writing the last Harry Potter here in 2007. 2. Since 1902 the Hotel has been setting it’s enormous clock three minutes fast, to make sure people don’t miss their train.

The Gothic Sir Walter Scott monument is 61 meters tall and was erected in 1841 for the author. It is super detailed (pics don’t do it justice), with 64 statues of various historic Scottish figures and Scott’s literary characters throughout. The statue of Scott and his dog sits in the middle. Fun Fact- The train statin nearby is called the Waverley after Scott’s novel.

We walked around the Princes Street Garden, which offered a majestic view of Edinburgh Castle atop the hill. Also, Great Aunt Lizzie’s cute cottage.

The Scottish National Gallery – just a few favorites. You know I love portraits of lovely ladies. Mary Nesbit, Countess of Elgin (1977-1855) (1804) by Baron Gérard François and The Lady Agnew (1892-3) by John Singer Sargent

The Ladies of Waldegrave (1780) by Sir Joshua Reynolds

All of the food!! And drinks!!

In love with the kilts.

My last Scottish meal (in the airport lounge)- Scone with jam and clotted cream and PG tips tea. Classic.

And I really did love Scotland. It was one of my favorite places I’ve been. The people were so personable, and I absolutely loved the history and feel of the city.

xoxo-sk

ps. Look what we found-

I have finally made it to the UK. I love my British History, 16th Century and earlier is my favorite- Henry VIII, Queen Elizabeth I, the War of the Roses, Eleanor of Aquitaine, King Arthur’s court. I was so excited to see Edinburgh, home to many memorable events in Mary, Queen of Scots tragic life.

We stayed in Hunter’s Square, which is in the middle of the Royal Mile. The Royal Mile is the road in Old Town Edinburgh that connects Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace.

Edinburgh Castle is a magnificent fortress that sits atop Castle Rock, overlooking the city. Kings and Queens have lived on this land since the 12th century, with human occupation noted since 2nd century AD. It ceased to be a royal residence in 1633, becoming a military base. The castle is massive, brimming with history, and there is a ton to explore.

With additions being made and parts being destroyed over it’s centuries old existence, the Castle’s layout is interesting. It’s a confusing mix of Royal Apartments, Towers, staircases, and military buildings.

St. Margaret’s Chapel was built by King David I around 1130. Named after his Mother, Margaret, it has been spared in battles, and is the oldest building in Edinburgh.

Mons Meg was a huge cannon used for blowing holes in castle walls, weighing six tonnes. It could fire a 150kg stone ball up to 3.2km. In the 15/16th century she was cutting edge.

David’s Tower where the original “Black Dinner” took place. In 1441 King James II invited the Douglases (his rivals) to dine. During dinner, they were accused of treason and summarily beheaded immediately.

Robert the Bruce getting crowned on the Stone of Destiny.

The Scottish National War Museum. It honors lives lost since 1914.

James IV built The Great Hall in 1511. It is a long room room with a beautiful wooden ceiling, displaying armor and swords. Like most spaces in the Castle, this room was repurposed multiple times over the years.

Prisons for POWs as they were in 1781. The War of American Independence (that’s what they call the American Revolution I guess) brought almost 1000 POWs to Edinburgh Castle. The prisoners carved graffiti on the wooden doors of the prison. In some of the old carvings, you can see an early version of the U.S. flag. Very cool.

The western view from atop. Good-bye Edinburgh Castle, I loved you.

The view from the street. Pretty amazing structure and strategic placement.

Greyfriars Kirkyard is a beautiful cemetery that has been around since the late 16th century. A lot of notable Edinburgh residents are buried there.

Flodden Wall was built in the aftermath of Scotland’s defeat (against the English) in the Battle of Flodden in 1513.

Greyfriars Bobby is a Skye terrier who guarded his owner’s grave in the kirkyard for 14 years in the mid 1800s. He is apparently a big thing around here. You are supposed to (gently) rub his nose for luck.

Before I started researching this trip, I had no idea the role Edinburgh played in the Harry Potter Universe. While I am not a die hard Harry Potter fan, I have enjoyed the books and movies and could definitely see places around the city reflected in Rowling’s works.

The Elephant House, where Rowling did a lot of her early Potter writing.

Diagon Alley aka Victoria Street filled with cute shops, restaurants, bars, and lots of Potter memorabilia.

From the aformentioned Greyfriar’s Kirkyard- home of Tom Riddle and Professor McGonagall’s namesakes.

George Heriot’s School (1628) was the basis for Hogwarts.

We stayed right beside St. Giles Cathedral. Though restored in the 19th century, the current church is said to date back to the late 14th century.

My favorite part of St. Giles was the Thistle Chapel. In 1687, King James VII created the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle. There are only 16 living members, knighted by the monarch for services rendered to Scotland. The Chapel is a small, beautifully detailed room, hidden in the rear of the Cathedral, built in 1911. Each knight has a personal seat, with their (and previous seat holder’s) coat of arms on the wall. The currant knight has their emblem at the apex of their seat.