Castles in

4th grade EFL of Psychico College/ Teacher: P.Vlondaki/ 2006-2007

Castles are always a favourite topic for children and adults. Below you can read the information that some students of a 4th EFL collected about castles they have visited or would like to visit.

There are about 1,200 castles in Scotland. They were built between the 12th and the 17th century.

EDINBURGH CASTLE

Edinburgh Castle stands at the heart of the city of Edinburgh. It is visited annually by approximately one million people. It dates back to the 12th century. It was the seat of Scottish Kings, and the historical apartments include the Great Hall, which now houses an interesting collection of weapons and armour. The Royal apartments include a tiny room in which Mary Queen of Scots gave birth to the boy who was to become King James VI of Scotland and James I of England upon the death of Queen Elizabeth in 1603. Edinburgh Castle is also the home of the one o’clock Gun. This is fired every Sunday at 1:00 pm to provide everyone with an accurate check for their clocks and watches. The oldest building in all Edinburgh is within the castle. It is Margaret’s Chapel, a tiny Norman building, which has been standing there intact for more than 900 years.

John Konstantopoulos (4c)

STIRLING CASTLE Mary Queen of Scots was crowned here in the castle. Her son, James VI, was brought here as a baby for protection. Pericles Tsagridis (4D)

HERMITAGE CASTLE

Hermitage Castle dates back in the 1300s. A wicked baron lived there. The legend says that a wise wizard boiled him in a vast cauldron. The English and Scots fought over this castle. Finally the Scots took it. In 1566 James Hepburn, the owner of the castle, was wounded after a fight. Mary, Queen of Scots, traveled 40 miles in one day to visit him because she loved him.

Nicholas Katsigiannis 4d, Dimitra Agelopoulou 4c

JEDBURGH CASTLE

When Mary, Queen of Scotland, returned from Hermitage Castle, she stayed in , in a castle that was called Mary, Queen of Scots House. She caught a fever and nearly died from it.

Bill Agelopoulos 4b, Dimitris Pentafragas 4b

CRICHTON CASTLE

King James II was only 6 years old when he was crowned in this castle, in 1437. Archibald, head of the strong Black Douglases, was Regent Their enemies invited Archibald with his brother and a friend to dinner at Crichton Castle. At the end of the meal, the head of a black bull was brought to the table and at this sign all three were murdered. When Archibald died, two men fought to take the place of the Douglases.

Lucy 4a, Melpomeni Kliafa 4d, Andreas Lassos 4a, Maximos Bitsaxis 4e

CASTLE URQUHART LOCHNESS

Castle Urquhart stands on the north shore of Lochness. The English and the Scots fought over it many times. Finally, in 1346 the castle passed to the Scottish crown again. Then, the castle fell to Clan Mc Donald again and again and later it was retaken by the Scots. The Loch, namely the lake, by which the castle is built, is very deep. In 1977 Anthony Shields, a visitor, says that he saw Nessy, the Lochness monster, from a place close to the castle.

Apollonia Karabatsou 4e, Jenny Lolou 4e

CAERLAVEROCK CASTLE

This castle is surrounded by a double moat and hundreds of acres of marshy woods, the “moss”. It was very strong. In shape it is like a shield because it has three sides with a tower at each corner.

Adam Sakkis 4d

AFFLECK, Angus Castle

Affleck, Angus castle is a well preserved and finely built tower-house, dating back to the 15th century.

Adam Sakkis 4d, Dimitris Siamantas 4d