The History of Holyrood Palace
Approaching the Palace of Holyroodhouse on the Royal Mile feels like stepping back in time. The magnificent structure stands out among the bustling modern life around it, like a rose amidst common dandelions. Holyroodhouse is seated at the base of an extinct volcano known as Arthur’s Seat, the castle has been a symbol of Scottish heritage and history for centuries. At almost 350 years old, Holyroodhouse is still a working palace, visited by the reigning monarch of Britain every summer. This article will focus primarily on this landmark as it relates to Scottish history and lore.
From Abbey to Palace
The first kings of Scotland resided in Edinburgh Castle, which in modern times stands opposite Holyroodhouse on the Royal Mile. In the early 1100’s, Scottish King David I was hunting in the area, when he had a vision of a white stag with a glowing cross between its antlers. Taking this as a sign from God, King David built an Augustinian monastery on the spot. The structure was soon expanded to accommodate kings and pilgrims as the abbey became a popular destination. Around 1501–1503, King James IV began building a royal residence adjacent to the existing Holyrood Abbey following his marriage to Margaret Tudor. Their marriage, known as the union of the Rose and Thistle (the official symbols for England and Scotland respectively) was created in the hopes that peace could be forged between the two countries who had fought each other for centuries. Their son, James V, would later build a fortifying tower that is the oldest surviving part of the palace today. Holyroodhouse served as the principal residence for Scottish monarchs throughout the 16th century. After James VI of Scotland became James the first of England as the heir of the Virgin Queen Elizabeth II, the palace of Holyroodhouse never served as a permanent court again. Under the reign of Charles II, the palace underwent a massive renovation and remodeling designed by master architect Sir William Bruce. It wasn’t until 1911 that Holyroodhouse received another major makeover, when King George V and Queen Mary (the grandparents of Elizabeth II) stayed in the palace and installed electric lighting and other modern accommodations. Though Holyroodhouse has undergone many chances since its humble beginnings, it has remained a focal point throughout Scottish and English history.
Mary, Queen of Scots
Holyroodhouse has been the residence of many royals and nobles over the centuries, but none more notable than Mary Queen of Scots. Growing up in France, young Mary lived in the French court and was a devout Catholic, which would cause issues when she returned to her native home of Scotland. But little did this bright-eyed red hair child know that her life was destined to follow a road of constant trial and grief. At the age of six, Mary was betrothed to the Dauphin of France and married him at Notre Dame Cathedral in 1548. By all accounts the marriage was a happy one, but sadly the Dauphin died young, leaving Mary a widow at only eighteen years of age. Mary would return to Scotland and manage to rule with the help of her advisors. Not that she wasn’t a capable leader, but while she had been away in France, the country had undergone a Protestant Reformation led by John Knox. As a Catholic monarch, she was not well liked. After her disastrous marriage to Lord Darnley, storm clouds gathered on the horizon as the Scottish people turned against her. On March 9, 1566, a heavily pregnant Mary and her private secretary David Rizzio were enjoying a quiet dinner with a few friends. Lord Darnley burst into the room and dragged Rizzio from his dinner. Hauling him down the stairs, Lord Darnley and his supporters stabbed the defenseless man to death. He believed, not entirely without evidence, that the two were having an affair. To this day a stain can be seen on the wooden floorboards where Rizzo died; no matter how hard they scrubbed there was no way to undo what had been done. Mary managed to cling to her throne for another year, but in the end, she was forced to abdicate the throne to her young son, James VI. Fleeing to England, she sought refuge from her cousin, Elizabeth II. But after Mary was linked to a plot planning to dethrone Elizabeth, she was executed by beheading on February 8, 1587.
Hauntings and Legends
Like all old castles, Holyroodhouse has had its fair share of ghost sightings and strange happenings. David Rizzio, Mary’s steward, is rumored to be among the spectral horde; naturally something as brutal as a murder constitutes a haunting in the minds of superstitious folk. However, that was not the only murder to occur on or around the grounds of Holyroodhouse. Years after Rizzo’s death in 1590, James VI, the son of Mary and Darnley, was on a sea voyage with his new wife, Princess Anna of Denmark. The ship came upon powerful storms that almost caused them to capsize. James became convinced the weather was the result of witches' intent on killing his family. One of the women accused was a midwife, by the name of Agnes Sampson. Midwives were common scapegoats because of their seeming control over birth and death and were often blamed for the high infant mortality rates. After hours of torture and humiliation, Agnes confessed to witchcraft and was burned at the stake in a public square outside Edinburgh Castle. Her phantom has been reported by multiple witnesses wandering the hall, crying and moaning. Though there are various stories of ghost sightings, they are only that, stories. In the end, ghosts don’t exist. The souls of those who have passed are where the Lord ordained them to be, and that is not bothering strangers back on Earth.
Conclusion
Today Holyroodhouse stands as a proud symbol of a bygone era. Every summer the palace receives back some of this old importance, during the Royal Week when the reigning monarch comes to stay at the castle. The stone halls that once heard the sounds of people and times long gone now ring with the chatter of interested tourists and tour guides. If you pause amongst the Abbey’s ruins on a foggy Edinburgh morning and tilt your head towards the sky, you might just catch the melody of medieval bagpipes.
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