00:00Craigmillar Castle is a ruined medieval castle in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is 3 miles
00:124.8 kilometres southeast of the city centre, on a low hill to the south of the modern suburb of
00:18Craigmillar. The Preston family of Craigmillar, the local feudal barons, began building the castle
00:23in the late 14th century and building works continued through the 15th and 16th centuries.
00:29In 1660, the castle was sold to Sir John Gilmore, Lord President of the Court of Session,
00:34who breathed new life into the ageing castle. The Gilmores left Craigmillar in the 18th century for
00:40a more modern residence, nearby Inch House, and the castle fell into ruin. It is now in the care
00:45of Historic Environment Scotland as a scheduled monument and is open to the public. Craigmillar
00:51Castle is best known for its association with Mary, Queen of Scots. Following an illness after
00:56the birth of her son, the future James VI, Mary arrived at Craigmillar on 20 November 1566 to
01:03convalesce. Before she left on 7 December 1566, a pact known as the Craigmillar Bond was made,
01:10with or without her knowledge, to dispose of her husband Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley.
01:15Craigmillar is one of the best-preserved medieval castles in Scotland. The central towerhouse,
01:20or keep, is surrounded by a 15th-century courtyard wall with particularly fine,
01:25defensive features. Within this are additional ranges, and the whole is enclosed by an outer
01:30courtyard wall containing a chapel and a ducat dovecote. The lands of Craigmillar were granted
01:35to the monks of Dunfermline Abbey by King David I in the 12th century. The Preston family were
01:41first granted land in the area by King David II in 1342 and held two-thirds of the estate.
01:47In a further grant of 1374, King Robert II gave the remaining lands of Craigmillar to Sir
01:53Simon de Preston, Sheriff of Midlothian. It was Simon's son, Simon Preston, or his grandson,
01:59Sir George Preston, who began work on the towerhouse which now forms the core of the castle.
02:05This was in place by 1425, when a charter was sealed at Craigmillar by Sir John Preston.
02:11The courtyard wall was probably added by Sir William Preston, 1453, who had travelled in
02:16France and drew on continental inspiration for his new work. He also brought back the
02:21arm of St Giles, which he presented to the High Kirk of Edinburgh, where the Preston Isle is named
02:26for him. In 1479, John Stuart, Earl of Mar, brother of King James III was held prisoner at Craigmillar,
02:34accused of practicing witchcraft against the king. 5. He later died in suspicious circumstances.
02:4116th century In 1511 Craigmillar was erected into a barony, and the outer courtyard was built
02:46around this time, possibly by another Simon Preston, D.1520, Member of Parliament for
02:52Edinburgh in 1487, who had succeeded in 1478. In September 1517, during an outbreak of plague
03:00in Edinburgh, the infant James V of Scotland moved to safety at Craigmillar. His French
03:06guardian de Labaste had new locks made for his chamber and the two iron gates. And a stable was
03:11built for the king's mule. The family chapel within the outer court was first recorded in 1523.
03:17During the so-called rough wooing of Henry VIII of England, the English attempted to impose,
03:22by military force, a marriage between Edward, Prince of Wales, and the young Mary, Queen of Scots.
03:29Craigmillar Castle was burned by English troops under the Earl of Hertford on 8 May,
03:33after he had sacked Edinburgh. Sir Simon Preston, D.1569, had the castle repaired.
03:40With domestic ranges in the courtyard being remodelled, Preston served as Lord Provost
03:44of Edinburgh for several years and was a loyal supporter of Queen Mary, who appointed him to
03:49her Privy Council. That is all. Subscribe and post comments for future videos.
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