If you are in Edinburgh it is impossible to miss the beautiful castle perched atop the hill of the Royal Mile. The Edinburgh Castle is immaculate and perfectly restored with exhibits showcasing centuries of Scottish history. But, if you take the road less travelled and do a little bit of digging, you will find that Edinburgh Castle is not the only royal fortress of Scotland’s imperial city. Tucked away behind the Palace of Holyrood and Arthur’s Seat sits a castle in the Edinburgh village of Craigmillar. From the city center, take buses 2, 14, or 30 toward Craigmillar or the Royal Infirmary and stumble upon the most well preserved medieval fortress in Scotland.
Fields of grass surround the story book fortress and you will be amazed to see this hidden wonder seem to appear in the midst of the Scottish meadows.The castle is described as a ‘league distant from Edinburgh’ – a league being the three-mile span that a person could walk in one hour, and the exact distance from the royal castle atop the hill. So, if the buses aren’t running, grab your sneakers and take the roads once travelled by Mary Queen of Scots herself.
The ‘other’ Edinburgh Castle was originally a tower house, built in the early 14th century, and amongst the first of this type of castle to be built in Scotland. The Preston family was the first owners of the medieval fortress, retaining and expanding the fortress for 200 years. Their mark on the land can literally be seen in the giant “P” shaped carving in the fields of Craigmillar Castle, once a pond and garden area blooming with flowers.
The Preston’s were the family who gave a home to Mary Queen of Scots in 1566 when she fell ill following the birth of her son, the future monarch of the United Kingdom. It was here behind the walls of Craigmillar Castle that the Craigmillar Bond was made, the pact that led to the death of Mary Queen of Scots’ controversial husband, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley. It is still unknown whether or not Mary had any knowledge of the plans for her husband’s assassination, but this was just the beginning of the story of Mary Queen of Scots. This room pictured here was the chamber apartment where Mary resided. Now it is home to a couple of curious pigeons.
Wind your way through all the nooks, crannies, and hidden hallways of Edinburgh’s ‘other’ castle. The labyrinth seems to never end because of all the additions that were made when the castle turned hands to the Gilmour clan who owned the castle until the 18th century. This immaculate fortress was then left to ruin before being placed in the hands of the Historic Environment Scotland who has preserved the medieval walls from the wine cellar all the way to the battlements at the top of the tower keep. From these battlements 55 feet up, you can see over all of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, past Arthur’s Seat to Edinburgh Castle itself which sits on its throne at the top of the hill for all to see. No one, though, would know to look from that royal seat for this ‘other’ medieval fortress beyond the peaks of Arthur’s Seat, allowing Craigmillar to remain Edinburgh’s best kept secret.
