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Dunnottar Castle, Aberdeenshire
Location: Stonehaven AB39 2TL (map and directions) Dunnottar Castle © Gerhard Piezinger History of Dunnottar CastleDunnottar Castle was used by William the Lion as an administrative centre and in 1276 a parish church was founded here. Twenty years later, in 1296, Edward I took the castle and William Wallace took it back in 1297. 1336 saw the English again capture Dunnottar, until later that year when Sir Andrew Murray recaptured it for the Scots. In 1531, Dunnottar was declared ‘one of the principal strengths of our realm’ and granted by James V to the Earls Marischal of Scotland. In 1562 and again in 1564, Dunnottar was visited by Mary Queen of Scots, and James VI stayed there in 1580. From 1580 to 1560, the Earls Marischal converted the castle into a comfortable mansion.Dunnottar Castle - Wikimedia Commons Its role as a defensive structure continued, and the castle was the only place in Scotland holding
out for Charles II against Cromwell's forces in 1652. Dunnottar was of particular interest to
Cromwell as it was holding the Honours of Scotland, the Crown Jewels, and Charles’ II personal
papers. However, as Dunnottar surrendered to Cromwell’s army after an 8 month siege, it was then
discovered that the Honours of Scotland had been smuggled out. They were hidden under the floor
of Kinneff Old Church nearby and remained there for eleven years. Map and directionsToday the castle is open to the public and visited by thousands of tourists each year.View Dunnottar Castle in a larger map |
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