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Edinburgh, 'Mons Meg'
Unknown, 1931, Photograph, Postcard
Item
of 450
Edinburgh, 'Mons Meg'
Edinburgh, 'Mons Meg'
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About this image
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Location
Category
Library Item
Item no
2082
Title
Edinburgh, 'Mons Meg'
Description
A schoolgirl looks over a wall at the edge of Edinburgh Castle. She is dwarfed by the Mons Meg cannon that stands to her left. The gun carriage has wheels, inscriptions and thistle carvings on it. Beside the gun are four cannonballs.
Artist / maker
Unknown
Date
1931
Size
8.1 x 13.2 cm
Type
Photograph
;
Postcard
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.
Exhibitions with this item
The Old and New Towns of Edinburgh World Heritage
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Related images
Related subjects
Homes
>
Residential buildings
>
Castles and palaces
Military
>
Arms and armament
>
Cannons
People
>
Children
>
Schoolchildren
Places
>
Edinburgh areas
>
Old Town
Places
>
Scotland
>
Edinburgh
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