When was edinburgh castle built

From to , the castle bounced from English to Scottish hands several times during the First and Second Wars of Scottish Independence. After the Wars of Independence, the castle was in great need of repairs.

Most of the construction was overseen by David II. In , English forces laid siege to the city of Edinburgh in an attempt to capture Mary, Queen of Scots. The castle, again, witnessed strife when, in , Oliver Cromwell executed Charles I and led an invasion of Scotland. In August of that year, Edinburgh Castle fell into English hands. The street is so called because it was the route that royalty would take when travelling to the castle, and many did tread this path.

It was King David I who in first constructed some of the impressive and formidable buildings we see today. The chapel, dedicated to his mother, Queen Margaret , still stands as the oldest building in Edinburgh!

As previously mentioned, the Royal Mile is so called as it is the path of royalty travelling up to the castle. This is true but some, however, were not approaching with amiable intentions.

The walls have endured siege after siege at the hands of the English, and the leadership of the castle has changed hands almost enumerable times. The first to capture the castle from the Scots was Edward I after a three day siege in His was a surprise attack under the cover of darkness, by only thirty men who scaled the north cliffs. Twenty years later it was recaptured by the English but only seven years after that, Sir William Douglas, a Scottish nobleman and knight, claimed it back with a surprise attack by his men disguised as merchants.

The Honours of Scotland are the oldest Crown jewels in Britain. The crown, sceptre and sword of state were first used together for the coronation of a monarch in , when Mary Queen of Scots came to the throne. The iconic Stone of Destiny, used for centuries to inaugurate monarchs, is also on display in the Crown Room.

The first fireworks display in Scotland took place at Edinburgh Castle. In fireworks formed part of a spectacular jousting tournament hosted by James IV. Jewels and treasures from around the world were kept here — including relics of Robert the Bruce, fine tapestries, and magical amulets. Defences were rebuilt and enhanced in response to the Jacobite Risings of — Regiments often had a mascot, many of whom were dogs — some of them are laid to rest in the Dog Cemetery, along with other canine companions.

But soldiers once brought home a far more unusual four-legged friend to live in the castle stables. Clue: He also had a trunk. Not everyone who came to the castle enjoyed their stay.

A young piper was dispatched into the tunnels and instructed to play his pipes as he walked, so that people above could map out where the subterranean passages led.

However, his playing abruptly ceased, and when they went into the tunnels to find him, no trace of the young piper could be found. It is said that his ghostly piping can still be heard beneath the castle to this day, waiting to be rescued…. In the days before iPhones or Rolexes, sailors on ships passing through the Firth of Forth would keep their ears peeled for an unmistakable booming noise coming from Edinburgh Castle at the same time every day.

The shot made from the original pound gun would be heard for miles, and allow the sailors to adjust and reset their chronometers to the correct time. As the castle was one of the main infantry barracks, the elephant lived onsite with his comrades and became the head of their marching band. He also developed a passion for beer, and is said to have reached his trunk in through the canteen window for a pint before bed.

His toes are currently displayed in the National War Museum within the castle grounds. Before his arrival in Scotland, the KGB insisted that the holes be bricked over in anticipation of his trip to the castle. Espionage never grows old. Royalty aside, the castle also housed some rather infamous residents, including 21 pirates of the Caribbean that were ultimately sentenced to death by hanging. Tucked away off the main path towards Edinburgh Castle is a small plot of land dedicated to the canine companions of Scottish battalions dating back to From Jess, the beloved mascot of the Black Watch 42nd Highlanders, to Dobbler, who followed the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders from China to Sri Lanka and South Africa, these pooches are honoured for their loyalty and service by being buried on castle grounds — a custom usually only reserved for nobility and soldiers of distinction.