Craigmillar Castle is one of the most perfectly preserved medieval INVESTIGATING castles in Scotland. Its setting is dramatic, surrounded by the remnants of forests where deer CRAIGMILLAR CASTLE were once hunted. Information for Teachers investigating historic sites craigmillar castle 2 Craigmillar Castle is one of the off the infant Mary to the heir to the most perfectly preserved medieval English throne. In 1566 Mary came to Timeline castles in Scotland. Its setting the castle, ill and depressed shortly after 1374 Robert II grants the is dramatic, surrounded by the the murder of Riccio at Holyrood. Sir land of Craigmillar to Sir remnants of forests where deer Simon Preston was one of Mary’s most Simon Preston were once hunted and with wide loyal supporters, and as lord provost of 1400s Construction of views to Edinburgh and beyond. A the City had rallied 4-500 armed men tower house begins; then visit to the castle will breathe life to protect her after Riccio’s murder. inner curtain wall built into your Social Subjects: People in While Mary was staying at the castle, a 1479 James III’s the Past study. group of advisers met there to discuss younger brother kept at how they would kill her husband, Lord Craigmillar on suspicion Historical background of witchcraft plot against Darnley. This pact became known as the King The story of Craigmillar Castle starts the Craigmillar Bond. The link with in 1374 when King Robert II granted the Stewart royal family continued Early 1500s Outer walls, gardens and fish pond to Sir Simon Preston the right to the undamaged, however, with Mary’s constructed lands of Craigmillar. The Prestons were son, James VI visiting in 1589. By this an important local family and several time the castle had been rebuilt and 1544 Craigmillar Castle damaged and captured of the family were at times sheriffs of expanded to include the inner and during the English Edinburgh. In exchange for the lands, outer walls and the chambers of the invasion the Prestons had to provide an archer east wing. for the king’s army whenever he needed 1550s Rebuilding and In 1660 the Prestons sold the one. The first part of the castle to be expansion of castle estate to Sir John Gilmour, head of built was the sturdy tower house in the 1566 Mary Queen of another influential Edinburgh family. centre. The Prestons also had a more Scots stays at Craigmillar He then rebuilt and updated the comfortable residence in the centre of after murder of Riccio castle extensively to make it a more Edinburgh, where the City Chambers 1660 Craigmillar sold to comfortable place to live. However, stand today. Sir John Gilmour; west during the eighteenth century the wing built In the 16th century the castle became Gilmours moved to Inch House in 1687 Chapel built closely associated with Mary Queen of Gilmerton, and Craigmillar began to 1700s Gilmour family Scots. In 1544 the castle came under fall into ruin. In 1946, Sir John Little moves to Inch House in attack and was partly destroyed by Gilmour handed the castle over to the Gilmerton; Craigmillar English troops when they invaded care of the state. castle falls into ruin Scotland to force the Scots to marry 1946 Castle placed in care of the state HISTORIC SCOTLAND education craigmillar castle 3 Supporting learning and teaching A visit to Craigmillar Castle is Before the visit Working on site particularly appropriate for • Discuss an ideal location for a When exploring the castle, pupils teachers working on class study topics such as: military castle. Pupils could look should be encouraged to look critically at a range of landscape scenes on at what they see, and to make and test • Mary Queen of Scots postcards, for example, and then theories based on physical evidence. • The Middle Ages mark with a cross the best place and Useful starting points are: explain why. As well as defensive • Castles • What materials were used to build considerations, pupils could think the castle? Where did the materials The Curriculum for Excellence about sources of food. aspires to motivate and challenge come from? Are there any materials pupils through a wide range of • Discuss with pupils all the different which might have rotted or been varied learning experiences. Site activities which would have gone stolen since then? visits have a particular role to play on in a caslte – defence, stabling • What uses did the castle have? How in joining up learning outcomes of horses, hunting, cooking, do you know? across the curriculum. A visit, and entertaining. Pupils could design use of the supporting materials, and draw their own cross sections • What evidence is there for everyday will help to: of castles to help them think life? • develop successful learners about the organisation of these Pupils can record evidence by taking by challenging pupils to activities. Pupils could research consider how life has changed notes, sketching, taking photographs different topics (e.g. food, travel, for people. It will help them to or by recording impressions into a tape entertainment, weapons) to prepare think critically about evidence recorder. and arrive at their own them for the visit. On the Historic Scotland website:www. conclusions. • Some children find it hard to historic-scotland.gov.uk/education_ • develop confident imagine that a castle was ever unit teachers can find additional individuals. Pupils wilI anything other than a ruin. Discuss resources to help with work on site. learn about aspects of their how buildings change with age These include compiling an Evidence community’s past, develop – does the house they live in look an understanding of social Record and a My Impressions Record. the same now as it did a few years changes, establish some of their own values and ago? Has their family made any Suggestions for follow-up work communicate their views on changes to the house? If so, why? Following the visit pupils can pool their different historical and social Discuss how wind and weather findings in groups to create a fuller issues. can affect the look of a building as record of the castle and the lives of the • develop responsible citizens. well as the deliberate changes that people who lived and worked there. It will help to increase people choose to make to buildings. This could form the basis for a range of pupils’ social and historical Can they think of any buildings presentation activities, for example: knowledge and understanding which have been converted into and encourage greater respect other buildings? (e.g. banks into • A guide book for future visitors for their own historic and built restaurants, churches into houses). environment. • A slide show with commentary of • It is helpful if pupils have some of • develop effective their visit the architectural terminology of contributors by broadening • Imaginative writing based on the pupils’ knowledge and castles as this makes discussing lives of the inhabitants of the castle understanding through on site easier. Useful words might – a spy guide on how to attack the investigative, creative and include: doo’cot, courtyard, castle! critical thinking. chamber, shield, coat of arms, spiral stair, archway, curtain • A series of drama sketches showing wall, dungeon. Pupils might enjoy different snapshots of life in the the challenge of learning what a castle through the ages machicolated parapet is - a slotted wall-top defence. HISTORIC SCOTLAND education craigmillar castle 4 Plan of Craigmillar Castle Tour of Craigmillar Castle There is much to explore in this wonderful and well-preserved building. Our suggested tour route focuses on the central tower house during the time of the Preston family (1374 – 1660). It takes in six key locations, marked on the plan at right: 1. Entrance in inner curtain wall 2. Entrance to the tower Entrance house Ticket Office 3. The hall Toilets 4. The kitchen 5. On the roof 6. The prison and bakehouse Background information Suggested tour route is given in the pack for each location. It is written in fairly simple language so that it can be read aloud to pupils if desired. Also included are suggested questions for Postern 6 Chamber discussion. Prison Bakehouse 2 Below Below 4 3 The focus is on House Tower East Garden Drawing West Garden encouraging pupils to 5 Room interpret the building Range East Inner Courtyard West Range West and deduce what they Kitchen Chapel Postern Gate can from clues they see Entrance around them. A key Water Inlet theme is that of change: how the castle has been Outer Yard 1 used and adapted over the course of its 600 year Dovecot Presbyterian history. Church Main Entrance As the castle itself was designed to disperse large groups, we recommend that if possible, e.g. you divide your class into groups of 8- 10 for the tour. HISTORIC SCOTLAND education craigmillar castle 5 Tour notes Did you know... Walk along the outer wall, past the dovecot, through the first gate and across the There might have been grass of the outer courtyard. Stop in front of the entrance gate as many as 150 people Location 1: Entrance Gate in Inner Curtain Wall living and working in and around the castle of an Background information for teachers. This could be read to pupils. important person? • This is the main way in to the oldest part of the castle. It is more than 600 years old. • Above the gate you can see the coat of arms of the Preston family, who built the castle. Can you see the two gun holes in the corners of the shield? Above the Preston arms, you can see the royal coat of arms of King James V.