Listed Building

The only legal part of the listing under the Planning (Listing Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 is the address/name of site. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing – see 'About Listed Buildings' below for more information. The further details below the 'Address/Name of Site' are provided for information purposes only.

Address/Name of Site

EDINBURGH CASTLE, PALACE BLOCKLB48226

Status: Removed

Documents

There are no additional online documents for this record.

Summary

Category
A
Group Category Details
100000019 - see notes
Date Added
14/12/1970
Date Removed:
15/11/2019
Local Authority
Edinburgh
Planning Authority
Edinburgh
Burgh
Edinburgh
NGR
NT 25196 73444
Coordinates
325196, 673444

Removal Reason

The listing of this building has been removed as part of the Dual Designation project. It will continue to be recognised as a monument of national importance through its designation as a scheduled monument.

Description

15th century with many later alterations and additions, including major reconstruction 1615-17. Rectangular, double pile building resting on massive vaulted undercrofts (circa 1382); moulded string course between 2nd and 3rd floors to E and N; corbelled out crenellated parapet with prominent cannon spouts; corbelled out square-plan turrets to E corners; engaged octagonal stair towers to N and W. Random rubble with polished dressings, 1615 work to N ashlar.

E ELEVATION: (show front facing Old Town) remains of 3 15th century oriels, 2 corbelled out from wall, 1 on polygonal stem rising from rock. Corbelled out square-plan turrets with ogee leaded roofs (re-instated 1939) to outer left and right. Pedimented windows to 1st and 2nd floors (that to centre segmental) with carved and gilded royal emblems, date (1616) and initials (IR6); panels flanking centre window, that to right now blank (until 1653 enclosing royal arms), that to left with relief depicting Honours of Scotland.

W ELEVATION: 3 floors to right, 4 floors to left; octagonal crenellated 6-stage stair tower (originally ogee-roofed, raised by 2 floors in 1820) with string courses to each stage to centre; carved panel with royal insignia, initials (ER) and date (1993); clock face to 5th stage, louvred opening to 6th stage. Round-arched entrance with rusticated voussoirs to right; cartouche over with monogram (MAH) and date (1566).

N ELEVATION: octagonal ogee-roofed 4-stage stair tower with string course between each stage to centre. Mullioned and transomed windows to left with carved and gilded royal emblems in pediments (that to 2nd floor segmental).

Cast-iron down pipes with decorative hoppers and fixings (thistles, fleurs-de lys, roses and initials (IR4).

INTERIOR: 2 earlier stone fireplaces flanked by colonnettes at ground floor. Small timber panelled closet to SE (see Notes) with bolection-moulded chimneypiece, painted compartmented ceiling and painted decoration to upper walls (later panelling to lower part of walls).

Statement of Special Interest

The A Group comprises Batteries, Foog's Gate, Gatehouse, Governor's House, Great Hall, Lang Stairs, Military Prison, National War Museum, New Barracks, Old Guardhouse, Palace Block, Portcullis Gate, St Margaret's Chapel, Scottish National War Memorial, Telephone Kiosks, United Services Museum and Vaults, all within Edinburgh Castle, and in the Care of Historic Scotland. The rectangular block on the E side of Crown Square originated as the 15th century Great Chamber. It was remodelled for the visit of James VI in 1617, the 1st floor being rebuilt and a new 2nd storey added. The King's master mason, William Wallace was in charge, although James Murray, the Master of Works may have provided a design. The Great Chamber was divided at ground floor level in 1615-17, providing a suite of ceremonial rooms; recently completed work (1999) conjecturally replicates the interiors of these rooms (plaster ceilings, timber panelling, painted decoration). The closet to SE was the room in which Queen Mary gave birth to the future James VI and I. It was painted by John Anderson in 1617, who was paid ?100 Scots in 1617 for painting 'the room where His Majesty was born' and for furnishing gold colours and workmanship. The ceiling is decorated with thistles and roses and crowned monograms IR and MR, while the walls have the Royal Arms of Scotland and the date 19 Junii 1566, that of the birth of James VI. New suites of rooms were built on the 1st floor to E for James, and on the 2nd floor for Queen Ann (who did not, in fact accompany him). The Crown Room on 1st floor now houses the Honours of Scotland. The high level arch between the Palace and what is now the Scottish National War Memorial appears in Alexander Nasmyth's painting of the Castle of circa 1780.

References

Bibliography

MacGibbon and Ross CASTELLATED AND DOMESTIC ARCHITECTURE OF SCOTLAND (1887) pp445-63, figs 398-401. RCAHMS INVENTORY EDINBURGH (1951) pp1-25. Gifford, McWilliam and Walker EDINBURGH (1984) pp 93-4. MacIvor EDINBURGH CASTLE (1993).

Historic Environment Scotland Properties

Edinburgh Castle

https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/edinburgh-castle

Find out more

Related Designations

  1. THE NEW TOWN GARDENSGDL00367

    Designation Type
    Garden & Designed Landscape
    Status
    Designated
  2. EDINBURGH CASTLE, OLD GUARDHOUSE, INCLUDING INNER BARRIERLB48225

    Designation Type
    Listed Building (B)
    Status
    Removed
  3. EDINBURGH CASTLE, SCOTTISH NATIONAL WAR MEMORIALLB48229

    Designation Type
    Listed Building (A)
    Status
    Removed
  4. Two K6 Telephone Kiosks, Lower Ward, Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh LB28012

    Designation Type
    Listed Building (B)
    Status
    Designated
  5. EDINBURGH CASTLE, ESPLANADELB28011

    Designation Type
    Listed Building (A)
    Status
    Removed
  6. EDINBURGH CASTLE, GOVERNOR'S HOUSELB48219

    Designation Type
    Listed Building (A)
    Status
    Removed
  7. EDINBURGH CASTLE, LANG STAIRSLB48221

    Designation Type
    Listed Building (B)
    Status
    Removed
  8. EDINBURGH CASTLE, NATIONAL WAR MUSEUM OF SCOTLAND (FORMER HOSPITAL AND ORDNANCE STORE), INCLUDING SENTRY BOXES AND URNSLB48223

    Designation Type
    Listed Building (B)
    Status
    Removed
  9. EDINBURGH CASTLE, ST MARGARET'S CHAPELLB48228

    Designation Type
    Listed Building (A)
    Status
    Removed
  10. EDINBURGH CASTLE, UNITED SERVICES MUSEUMLB48231

    Designation Type
    Listed Building (A)
    Status
    Removed
  11. EDINBURGH CASTLE, VAULTSLB48232

    Designation Type
    Listed Building (A)
    Status
    Removed
  12. EDINBURGH CASTLE, NEW BARRACKSLB48224

    Designation Type
    Listed Building (A)
    Status
    Removed
  13. Memorial to the 72nd Highlanders, Edinburgh Castle Esplanade, Edinburgh LB48237

    Designation Type
    Listed Building (C)
    Status
    Designated
  14. Edinburgh Castle/Caisteal Dhùn ÈideannSM90130

    Designation Type
    Scheduled Monument
    Status
    Designated
  15. EDINBURGH CASTLE, FOOG'S GATELB48217

    Designation Type
    Listed Building (A)
    Status
    Removed
  16. EDINBURGH CASTLE, MILITARY PRISONLB48222

    Designation Type
    Listed Building (B)
    Status
    Removed
  17. EDINBURGH CASTLE, PORTCULLIS GATE AND ARGYLE TOWERLB48227

    Designation Type
    Listed Building (A)
    Status
    Removed
  18. EDINBURGH CASTLE, GATEHOUSELB48218

    Designation Type
    Listed Building (A)
    Status
    Removed
  19. EDINBURGH CASTLE, BATTERIES, INCLUDING ARGYLE, DURY'S, FOREWALL, HALF-MOON, AND WESTERN DEFENCESLB28010

    Designation Type
    Listed Building (A)
    Status
    Removed
  20. Duke of York Statue, Edinburgh Castle Esplanade, EdinburghLB27883

    Designation Type
    Listed Building (B)
    Status
    Designated
  21. Monument to Colonel Mackenzie, Edinburgh Castle Esplanade, EdinburghLB48257

    Designation Type
    Listed Building (B)
    Status
    Designated
  22. Memorial to the Scottish Horse, Edinburgh Castle Esplanade, EdinburghLB48239

    Designation Type
    Listed Building (C)
    Status
    Designated
  23. Statue of Earl Haig, Hospital Square, Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh LB27860

    Designation Type
    Listed Building (B)
    Status
    Designated
  24. EDINBURGH CASTLE, GREAT HALLLB48220

    Designation Type
    Listed Building (A)
    Status
    Removed
  25. Memorial to the 78th Highlanders, Edinburgh Castle Esplanade, EdinburghLB48238

    Designation Type
    Listed Building (B)
    Status
    Designated

About Listed Buildings

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Listing is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for buildings of special architectural or historic interest as set out in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997.

We list buildings which are found to be of special architectural or historic interest using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Listed building records provide an indication of the special architectural or historic interest of the listed building which has been identified by its statutory address. The description and additional information provided are supplementary and have no legal weight.

These records are not definitive historical accounts or a complete description of the building(s). If part of a building is not described it does not mean it is not listed. The format of the listed building record has changed over time. Earlier records may be brief and some information will not have been recorded.

The legal part of the listing is the address/name of site which is known as the statutory address. Other than the name or address of a listed building, further details are provided for information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland does not accept any liability for any loss or damage suffered as a consequence of inaccuracies in the information provided. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing. Even if a number or name is missing from a listing address it will still be listed. Listing covers both the exterior and the interior and any object or structure fixed to the building. Listing also applies to buildings or structures not physically attached but which are part of the curtilage (or land) of the listed building as long as they were erected before 1 July 1948.

While Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating listed buildings, the planning authority is responsible for determining what is covered by the listing, including what is listed through curtilage. However, for listed buildings designated or for listings amended from 1 October 2015, legal exclusions to the listing may apply.

If part of a building is not listed, it will say that it is excluded in the statutory address and in the statement of special interest in the listed building record. The statement will use the word 'excluding' and quote the relevant section of the 1997 Act. Some earlier listed building records may use the word 'excluding', but if the Act is not quoted, the record has not been revised to reflect subsequent legislation.

Listed building consent is required for changes to a listed building which affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest. The relevant planning authority is the point of contact for applications for listed building consent.

Find out more about listing and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.

Images

There are no images available for this record, you may want to check Canmore for images relating to EDINBURGH CASTLE, PALACE BLOCK

There are no images available for this record.

Search Canmore

Printed: 19/03/2024 03:43