Craigmillar Castle 'restored', East View

Category

Library Item

Item no

43429

Title

Craigmillar Castle 'restored', east view

Description

Image from James Grant's sketchbook, print numbered 105

Artist / maker

Grant, James

Date

1848

Type

Pen work

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

James Grant's geometrical view of Craigmillar Castle shows it from the east front, and he has shown the east range as it would have looked before it fell into ruin. In 1544 Craigmillar Castle was attacked by invading English forces led by Edward Seymour, Earl of Hertford. Sir Simon Preston surrendered the castle to the English, who partially demolished and burnt it. After the English left a new range was constructed along the east side of the curtain wall, which you can see in this image. This range would have been for the family's accommodation and, though it used to be thought that Mary Queen of Scots stayed in a small room coming off the laird's hall in the main keep, it is more likely that she stayed in the family's new rooms when she visited.

Simon Preston hosted Mary at Craigmillar Castle in September 1563 and again for almost a fortnight from 20th November 1566. It has been claimed that a number of Scottish lords signed a bond at Craigmillar, promising to murder Mary's hapless husband Lord Darnley. In early 1567, while Darnley was staying in Glasgow, Mary tried to persuade him to return with her to Craigmillar Castle, where he could bathe and be 'purged and cleansed of his sickness' (probably syphilis). But Darnley did not want to stay there, choosing the house of Kirk O'Field instead. There the conspirators were able to finally kill Darnley, before turning against Mary and capturing her. Simon Preston brought Mary under guard to his town house on Edinburgh's High Street before delivering her to imprisonment in Lochleven Castle - Mary's host had become her jailor. Simon was the last Preston to serve as provost of Edinburgh, as the family faded into political obscurity.

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Related subjects

Architecture > Architectural features > Turrets

Architecture > Architectural features > Walls

Homes > Residential buildings > Castles and palaces

Places > Edinburgh areas > Craigmillar

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

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