Linlithgow palace (Lothian). Initially a royal manor house beside the loch, and lodging for Edward I who strengthened it (1301-3), it was rebuilt in stone by James I of Scotland after the 1424 fire. Birthplace of James V (1512), it remained empty after the death of James IV at Flodden (1513) until the 1530s, when work was resumed reflecting James V's tastes, as at Falkland. Birthplace also of Mary, queen of Scots (1542), the palace fell into disrepair after the accession of the infant James VI (1567). Charles I was the last monarch to sleep there (1633).
Linlithgow Palace
| British History: Linlithgow palace |
| Wikipedia: Linlithgow Palace |
The ruins of Linlithgow Palace are situated in the town of Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland, 15 miles west of Edinburgh. A royal manor existed on the site in the 12th century.[1] This was replaced by a fortification known as 'the Peel', built in the 14th century by English forces under Edward I. The site of the manor made it an ideal military base for securing the supply routes between Edinburgh Castle and Stirling Castle.
In 1424, the town of Linlithgow was partially destroyed in a great fire.[2] King James I started the rebuilding of the Palace as a grand residence for Scottish royalty, also beginning the rebuilding of the Church of St Michael immediately to the south of the palace: the earlier church had been used as a storeroom during Edward's occupation.[3] Over the following century the palace developed into a formal courtyard structure, with significant additions by James III and James IV. James V, who was born in the palace in April 1512, added the outer gateway and the elaborate courtyard fountain. Mary Queen of Scots was born at the Palace in December 1542[4] and occasionally stayed there during her reign. After the Union of the Crowns in 1603 the Royal Court became largely based in England and Linlithgow was used very little. Although King James VI had the North range rebuilt between 1618 and 1622, the only reigning monarch who stayed in Linlithgow after that date was King Charles I who spent one night there in 1633.
Parts of the Church of St Michael were brought into use as they were completed, and the church was completed in 1540. In 1559, at an early stage of the Scottish Reformation, the Protestant Lords of the Congregation destroyed the statues adorning the exterior and interior of the church as signs of "popishness", and defaced the statue of St Michael which formed part of the structure.[3]
The palace's swansong came in September 1745, when Bonnie Prince Charlie visited Linlithgow on his march south but did not stay overnight. It is said that the fountain was made to flow with wine in his honour.[5] The Duke of Cumberland's army destroyed most of the palace buildings by burning in January 1746.
The crown steeple of the Church of St Michael deteriorated structurally to the point where it was in danger of collapsing, and it was dismantled in 1820. While other repairs were completed and the church was rededicated in 1896, the tower was too weakened for restoration of the original crown steeple. In 1964 a new steeple was added, constructed of lightweight aluminium to minimise the load on the tower and reinterpreting the crown steeple in a modern idiom.[3]
The palace has been actively conserved since the early 19th century and is today managed and maintained by Historic Scotland. The site is open to visitors all year round, usually subject to an entrance fee for non-members, but on occasion the entry fee is waived during the organisation's "Doors open days".[6] In summer the adjacent 15th century parish church of St Michael is open for visitors, allowing a combined visit to two of Scotland's finest surviving medieval buildings.
Historic Scotland is running an experiment with junior tour guides. Using young people (primary 6-7) from the nearby school Linlithgow Primary, schools can arrange tours by these young people. During the summer young people can volunteer to conduct these tours.
References
- ^ "Linlithgow Palace: Property detail". Historic Scotland.
- ^ British Castle - Linlithgow Palace History
- ^ a b c "St Michael's Church Feature Page". Undiscovered Scotland. http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/linlithgow/stmichaels/index.html. Retrieved 2009-08-06.
- ^ "Mary, Queen of Scots (r.1542-1567)". The official website of the British Monarchy.
- ^ "'Wine' fountain to flow once more". BBC News. 26 June 2007.
- ^ "Free weekend". Historic Scotland.
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Linlithgow Palace |
|
||||||||||
Coordinates: 55°58′42.6″N 3°36′4.0″W / 55.9785°N 3.60111°W
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
Learn More
 | Linlithgow (city, Scotland) |
| William Wallace (architecture) |
| (Arthur George) Sydney Mitchell (art) |
 | What type of construction is linlithgow palace? Read answer... |
| Where is Holyrood palace? Read answer... |
| Can you visit the palace? Read answer... |
Help us answer these
 | What is the halfway point between colchester and linlithgow? |
| What was in the Palace of Versailles? |
| How do you get a palace in ikarium? |
Post a question - any question - to the WikiAnswers community:
Copyrights:
 |
 | British History. A Dictionary of British History. Copyright © 2001, 2004 by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. Read more |
 |
| Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Linlithgow Palace". Read more |
Related answers
- Distance to walk between Linlithgow Palace and Linlithgow the town?
- When was Linlithgow Palace built?
- What is a palace?
- Where is corn palace?
ADVERTISEMENT
Answer these
- Who started to build the present Linlithgow palace?
- How tall was Lord Linlithgow?
- How was Akbar's Palace?
- Where is minoin palace?
Mentioned in
- Linlithgow (city, Scotland)
- William Wallace (architecture)
- (Arthur George) Sydney Mitchell (art)
- Mary Queen of Scots
