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Mons Meg, Edinburgh Castle
Wyllie, H. D., 1945, Photograph
Mons Meg, Edinburgh Castle
Mons Meg, Edinburgh Castle
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Location
Category
Library Item
Item no
2087
Title
Mons Meg, Edinburgh Castle
Description
Mons Meg, a cannon in Edinburgh Castle. The gun carriage has inscriptions and thistle carvings and is on wheels. Beside the gun are cannonballs.
Artist / maker
Wyllie, H. D.
Date
1945
Size
12 x 16.1 cm
Type
Photograph
Location
Edinburgh and Scottish Collection
Mons Meg is a large seige gun presented to James II by Philip, Duke of Burgundy in 1457. It is one of a pair constructed in Mons in present day Belgium. The gun's sheer size limited its mobility and therefore its military utility. Mons Meg continued to be used for ceremonial purposes until 1681 when it burst whilst being fired to celebrate the Duke of Albany's birthday. It was repaired but has not been fired since.
Edinburgh Castle is perhaps the city's most famous landmark. It stands on top of the remaining core of an extinct volcano. Excavations suggest the site was inhabited by Bronze Age man as early as 900 BC, and was fortified by Iron Age man roughly 2000 years ago. The oldest part of the present day Castle is St Margaret's Chapel, built in the early 12th century. The Castle holds the Honours of Scotland and more recently has welcomed back the Stone of Scone otherwise known as the Stone of Destiny.
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Cannons
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Edinburgh areas
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Old Town
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Edinburgh Landmarks
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Edinburgh Castle
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Edinburgh
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