Holyrood Palace from Calton Hill – Watercolour in a Watercolour Moleskine

This is the classic view of the Queen’s official residence when she comes to Scotland. It stands at the foot of the Royal mile and features frequently in our history.

Two well known episodes centre around Mary Queen of Scot’s time there when a group of her nobles, including Bothwell, murdered her secretary, David Rizzio. His blood is said to still stain the floor and cannot be removed. Then, in 1745, Charles Stewart (Bonnie Prince Charlie) was in residence, for almost five weeks, when his Jacobite army swept down from the highlands. Although the citizens of Edinburgh were forced to offer him hospitality his army was not strong enough, nor did he have the inclination, to seize Edinburgh Castle at the other end of the old town.

The ruined building, attached to the left of the palace, is Holyrood Abbey where the remains of Mary’s Husband, Lord Darnley, lie but no one knows where as they were unceremoniously dumped there after his murder. A cruel fate for a man who thought he would be king. The Abbey was built in 1128 on the orders of King David 1st. It is said that he commissioned the place after nearly being gored by a wild hart (stag) when out hunting. He was saved by two of his knights and the Abbey was founded as a way of saying thanks. The damage, to the abbey was started by Henry V111 as part of his conquest to “persuade” a marriage contract to be signed between his son and the infant Mary (The Rough Wooin’). Later, the damage was completed by riots in 1688 when it was plundered by Edinburgh citizens (It had been converted to a Roman Catholic Abbey and lots of damage was carried out across the country before, during and after the reformation of the church). In 1768 a storm finished the destruction and it has been like this since. High on the hill, in the Queens Park, behind this scene lie the ruins of St Anthony’s Chapel. It is thought that this place was an extra part of the abbey, probably as a place for the monks, but its history is uncertain.

There is a fantastic painting, “The Royal Volunteer Review” by Samuel Bough – 1860″ in Edinburgh’s National Art Gallery. The huge canvas shows, in great detail, the Palace, Abbey and Chapel viewed from the high ground of the park looking towards Calton Hill with many parts of the city clearly recognisable. The painting was done to commemorate a visit by Queen Victoria at that time and contains hundreds of soldiers, either lined up on parade or attending their cannons for the coming salutes. Many local folk intermingle with the military and all give a great amount of information about the dress and styles of the day. One of my favourite paintings which I could stand and study for hours.