Edinburgh Castle history in short
Edinburgh Castle is not one building from one date. It is a group of buildings from different periods on Castle Rock. Over time it served as a royal residence, a fortress, a garrison and a prison. The oldest building still standing is St Margaret's Chapel, built around 1130.
The dates below follow the main events. If you want the stories on site, you can take one of the guided Edinburgh Castle tours, which run for 30 minutes outdoors. The rooms and sights themselves are covered in the guide to the inside of the castle.
Castle Rock and the first buildings
From volcanic plug to royal chapel.
A volcanic plug
Castle Rock is a volcanic plug from the Carboniferous period, about 340 million years old. The figure belongs to the rock and not to the fortress.
St Margaret's Chapel, around 1130
David I had the chapel built and named it after his mother. It is the oldest building in Edinburgh. It is open to visitors and still used for christenings and weddings.
What to see inside →Our pick: Stirling, the other royal castle
Our take: a half day to Stirling Castle and the Kelpies; castle entry is extra.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in British pounds (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Edinburgh Castle tours and tickets
Guided visits, castle entry and Royal Mile walks, with live prices and availability.
Sieges and the Wars of Independence
The castle changed hands more than once.
1296: the English siege
In June 1296 an English army under Edward I besieged the castle with stone-throwing engines. The terms of surrender are dated around 22 June 1296. How the siege ran minute by minute is not settled, so read the date as the outline of events.
1314: recapture at night
Thomas Randolph retook the castle with 30 men in a night attack. Robert I then had the fortress destroyed so that English forces could not use it again.
1457: a gift for the king
Mons Meg, a medieval siege gun of about 6 tonnes, was given to James II in 1457. It fired stone balls of 150 kg up to 3.2 km. It stands in front of St Margaret's Chapel.
The castle inside →The Lang Siege of 1571 to 1573 destroyed David's Tower. The Half Moon Battery was built after it, on the remains of that tower. The guns standing there today date from 1810. Not every medieval room survived this period, so the castle you see mixes rebuilt and original parts.
Royal home and crown
From the Great Hall to the Honours.
1511: the Great Hall
The Great Hall was finished for James IV in 1511. Later it served as a barracks and a military hospital, and it was restored in the late 19th century. Today it shows weapons and armour under a timber roof, though not everything inside is unchanged from the 1500s.
1540 and 1543: the crown in use
The crown was made for James V and worn in 1540. In 1543 Mary Queen of Scots was crowned with the crown and sceptre.
1566 and 1603: James VI
Mary gave birth to James VI in the Royal Palace in 1566. In 1603 he also became King of England. The birth room can be seen from a barrier, not entered.
1707 and 1818: the Honours
After the Union in 1707 the Honours of Scotland were locked away. Walter Scott rediscovered them in 1818. They are on show in the Crown Room.
Honours of Scotland →The Stone of Destiny was in the castle before it moved. Since March 2024 it is in the Perth Museum, where entry is free. It is no longer part of a castle visit.
Garrison, prison and memorial
The castle after 1700.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Around 1800 | The Prisons of War vaults under Crown Square hold prisoners of war, many of them sailors |
| 1810 | Date of the guns on the Half Moon Battery today |
| 1861 | The daily time signal for ships in the Firth of Forth begins |
| 1927 | The Scottish National War Memorial opens on Crown Square |
| 2001 | A 105 mm field gun becomes the current One O'Clock Gun |
| March 2024 | The Stone of Destiny moves to Perth |
The castle kept its military role for a long time. The Great Hall served as a barracks and hospital, the vaults held prisoners of war, and the National War Memorial, opened in 1927, remembers the fallen of both world wars and later conflicts. Visitors are asked to keep quiet inside the memorial, and photography is not allowed there.
The One O'Clock Gun fires at 13:00 every day except Sunday, Good Friday and Christmas Day. For the ceremony, see the gun page. For the numbers in one place, see the facts page.
Edinburgh Castle history: frequently asked questions
When was Edinburgh Castle built?
There is no single date. St Margaret's Chapel dates from around 1130, and the Great Hall from 1511. The castle is a group of buildings from different periods.
How old is Castle Rock?
The volcanic rock is about 340 million years old. That is the age of the stone, not of the fortress on top of it.
Who was born in Edinburgh Castle?
Mary Queen of Scots gave birth to James VI in the Royal Palace in 1566. In 1603 he became King of England as well.
Where is the Stone of Destiny?
In the Perth Museum, since March 2024. It is free to see there, and it is not part of an Edinburgh Castle visit.
Is this the official Edinburgh Castle site?
No. This is an independent guide, not run by Historic Environment Scotland or Edinburgh Castle, and it does not sell castle tickets.