Doune Castle History | Scotland | 4K

Central Scotland, on the border of the Highlands and Lowlands, is one of the most well-preserved Scottish castles of its time. Constructed around the year 1400, upon the ruins of a previous castle, the authentic feel of this medieval castle has inspired many filming locations, but its history is real with stories of Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Jacobites, encrypted letters from Mary Queen of Scots, conspiracies, torture, and prison escapes. This is James from Wizardry Victoria. Join us as we explore Doon Castle, the castle of the uncrowned king. Doon Castle was built in Central Scotland at the meeting of two rivers. Unlike other castles which have been heavily modified and added to over the years, the castle we see today remains largely how it would have looked back in the late 14th century when it was constructed. It's one of my personal favorite castles to explore due to its rooms which retain an authentic feel, including its great hall, the chamber known as Mary Queen of Scots Bedchamber, and its great kitchens where you can still see the marks of staff sharpening their knives. Even its original medieval gate survives. This type of iron gate, known as a yet, was mostly unique to Scotland as other countries instead used the portcullis which fell down from above. An earlier fortification on the site of Doon is thought to have been used in the Scottish Wars of Independence back in the mid-13th century, which were wars mostly fought against King Edward I of England, the Hammer of the Scots. Here we can see an arrow slit partially blocked which is thought to date from this time. The area around Doon has been used since Roman times. The castle was built near to an ancient Roman fort that dates from the 1st century AD. It's not known how long a fortification has existed on Doon as the site has not yet been fully excavated. But the word Doon comes from the Gaelic word meaning stronghold or fortification, and a fort could have existed here during the Dark Ages. Much of the castle we see today was constructed by Robert Stuart, the younger son of King Robert II. He would essentially rule Scotland for over 20 years, but he would never be crowned king. The first time he would rule was when his brother, King Robert III, was kicked by a horse and was declared incapable to rule in 1388. He would rule for a longer period while the young James I was held hostage by the English after he was captured by English pirates. In 1398, Robert Stuart, sometimes called the Uncrowned King, was given the title Duke of Albany, which was a new title invented for Robert and included lands in the northeast of Scotland. And he is often referred to as Albany, Duke being the highest title below the King. Albany would use Doon as a royal palace. Its iron gate dates back to around 1400, and it was likely preceded by a door similar to this restored door. These stairs lead into its great hall through the serving area from its kitchen. Its balcony was originally used for minstrels who would play music from above. In medieval times, before clocks were available, minstrels would play music to signal the start of a meal. The roof has been restored, but some of its original stone corbels, carved with vases, still survive back from the year 1400. Tapestries once adorned the walls, and spaces for hooks to hold these tapestries can still be seen. Having no fireplaces, this hall would have been heated by a central hearth. This raised platform was once the location of the High Table, where the Duke, and later Kings and Queens, would dine with their family and high-ranking officials. Scottish-grade halls often were lit by a chandelier made from antlers, and displayed a halberd as a symbol of power. The adjoining room is the Duke's Hall. It was restored in the 1800s, but would have looked much different in medieval times. There was likely one central grand chair for the Duke. The walls would have held tapestries, the Duke's coat of arms, and probably items of gold and silver would be on display. This large mysterious room above is sometimes known as the Hall of the Duchess. It was originally divided into two floors, and the upper windows could have been a suite for the Duchess, and below may have been the Duke's bedchamber, where he would also conduct business. In this alcove here, there are remains of a small private chapel. The Albany had first ruled while waiting for the son of Robert II, David, to come of age. But David's brief time in power would prove disastrous for the Scots. After he broke off his engagement to the daughter of the Earl of March to get a larger dowry from another, the insulted Earl allied with King Henry IV of England. The Earl of March and Henry Percy, known as Hotspur, led an invasion into Scotland. Albany's son Murdoch, the future Master of Dune and region of Scotland, was captured in battle against Percy and March in 1402. Murdoch is mentioned in Shakespeare's play Henry IV as one of the prisoners who Percy was not allowed to ransom, which would lead to Percy challenging Henry IV for the throne. In response to his mismanagement of the kingdom, Albany and his allies the Black Douglases had David imprisoned in 1402, where he died under suspicious circumstances. His brother James was now in line for the throne. In 1406, due to the instability of the region at the time, James attempted to travel to France, but was captured by English pirates. He would be held as a hostage by Henry IV, and he would remain a hostage for 18 years, and the Albany stewards would continue to rule. Albany did eventually negotiate the release of his son Murdoch, who was exchanged for the son of Henry Percy, also named Henry, in 1415. Murdoch would become region of Scotland after Albany died in 1420, but he was not as effective a ruler as his father had been, and in 1424 a ransom was agreed for 40,000 pounds to bring back James I. James I then had Murdoch and his son beheaded at Stirling, blaming the Albany stewards for the death of his brother David, and, likely for not paying his ransom, for 18 years. Rule of Dune would then pass down to various kings and queens, and we have surviving royal records from this time, which helps give us an idea of medieval life in Dune Castle. In 1434, we have records of the stable being repaired at Dune, and later, in 1467, a brewery was built. We also have pavements made to the gardener for onion and leek from a garden at Dune, which may have been somewhere in the back of the castle. This open courtyard would have looked much different in medieval times. The grass we see today was originally cobblestone. The courtyard contained the stables, along with a brewery, the bakehouse, and the chapel. These large windows on the wall could have been for additional high-status lodging, or possibly for the chapel. These storage areas here off of the courtyard could be used to collect rent for people living on the castle estate. Rent in medieval times could have been paid in items such as meat or grains. The castle would be passed down to several queens of Scotland, including Margaret of Denmark, Margaret Tudor, and Mary de Guise. Dune would later be in control of Mary Queen of Scots and her supporters, which would lead to the castle being put under siege and turned into a prison. Some of the most well-preserved areas in the castle, and some of my personal favorite rooms, are the castle kitchens and the chambers above, which are known as Mary Queen of Scots' bedchamber. Mary is believed to have stayed in this room, as well as her mother, Mary de Guise. This is one of the best preserved in the castle. Its ornate fireplace remains, and here we can still see a niche in the wall which could have held a candle. Its bathroom contains a closet area for storing clothes, and here we can see an area for toilet paper, which in medieval times could have been hay, known as toilet hay, or moss, or possibly some sort of wool or linen for the wealthy. One of the reasons this room was sought after is because it was above the kitchens, which would help keep it well heated. The kitchen's large oven is 18 feet long and had plenty of room to roast animals on a spit, and it could contain several fires used for different purposes, and could also be used for smoking meat. After food was prepared, it was left in serving windows, similar to restaurants today, before it was delivered to the Great Hall or to the Duke's Hall. We can still see markings on the wall where the kitchen staff sharpened their knives. Mary was forced to give up her throne in 1567. At that time, the castle was held by a nobleman and supporter of Mary named James Stuart, who would later become the first to hold the title Lord Dune. James was still in contact with Mary through encrypted letters in cipher after she gave up her throne. Because of his support for Mary, he was ordered to give up the castle. He refused, and it was put under siege by the Regent of Scotland, Lennox, in 1570. He was forced to surrender the castle after three days, and it was then used as a prison for Mary's supporters. We have a surviving confession of a prisoner at Dune named John Moon, who was tortured after being found carrying letters from Mary, Queen of Scots. In return for his service to Mary, he was supposedly promised 150 crowns per year if Mary was reinstated as Queen. The letter of confession endorsed by Cecil, spymaster for Elizabeth, states that after being put to pains at Dune Castle, Moon revealed an additional network of people involved in the transfer of secret letters. This prison could have been here, in the dark area off the entrance, near the modern day gift shop. Ten years later, in 1580, the son of Mary, Queen of Scots, the young James VI, visited Dune. He would later become King of Scotland and England, and would be known as James I. Dune was often used as a royal hunting lodge, and James VI was known for his love of the hunt. He was also known for being a big spender during his reign, and he authorized repairs and renovations to the castle. These round turrets on the wall date from this time. Under the reign of James VI, James Stuart, the former keeper of Dune and supporter of Mary, was reinstated and was the first to be given the title Lord Dune. His son, the second Lord Dune, is part of one of my favorite, albeit tragic stories, and was known as the Bonnie Earl. He would later be murdered, and has a popular folk ballad written about him. His murder would cause so much public outrage that the King of Scotland would be forced to flee in fear of his life. James Stuart, the second Lord Dune, married into the Earl of Murray, where he inherited a centuries-old feud with the Earl of Hunley. Murray was unusually tall, and is known as the Bonnie Earl, and he was supposedly a favorite of the Queen, and of Denmark. In 1592, Murray was accused by Hunley of having a connection to a coup against the King, attempted at Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh. Finding that he was staying at his mother's house, the Earl of Hunley set the house on fire. When Murray fled the house, he was supposedly murdered by Hunley and his men. His mother, Margaret Campbell, refused to bury the body, and tried to bring it to the King to demand justice. She had a portrait commissioned of the body, and had it on public display. It would not be buried for another five years. She succeeded in raising a public outrage. King James fled Edinburgh, and wrote a letter to the Earl of Hunley. He states that he was in more peril for his life than he had ever been since he was born. The Earl of Hunley was given minor punishment, but was never charged for the murder. Dune Castle appears in the folk song written for the Earl of Murray. It mentions his lady waiting for him to return to the castle. A year later, in 1593, possibly due to his new unpopularity, a plot against James VI was discovered at Dune Castle by several earls of Scotland. James VI went to Dune with the intent to surprise and capture the conspirators, one of which escaped, and the other two waited for the King. They were brought into custody, but would later receive pardons from the King. Dune would play a role in the Jacobite Risings, which supported the exiled James Stuart and his descendants. And during the Jacobite Rising of 1745, the castle of Dune would be captured by another person, who he might also call an uncrowned king. During the first two Jacobite Risings of 1689 and 1715, Dune was held by government troops. But it was later captured by the Jacobites during the Rising of 1745, the last and most successful of the Jacobite Risings. The Rising was in support of Charles Stuart, known as Bonnie Prince Charlie, who had raised an army in the highlands of Scotland. Dune Castle gave access to the Bridge of Teeth, giving the Jacobites a foothold into the lowlands. It was also only 8 miles away from the coveted castle of Stirling, which the Jacobites would later put under siege. The Rising of 1745 would inspire many stories, including one of the very first historical novels, Waverly, which is partially based on a prison escape from Dune Castle. After the Jacobites won a great victory in the stormy battlefield of Falkirk, additional prisoners from the battle were brought to Dune. Among these were John Witherspoon, who would later become an important figure in America, and was one of the people who signed the Declaration of Independence. Another was John Holme, who would write the famous play, Douglas, and was one of the prisoners who escaped from Dune. Holme actually wrote an account of the escape from Dune. He states that when he was brought to the castle, it was in a most ruinous condition, and the prison areas were cells as part of a large ghastly room at the highest part of the castle and next to the battlements. This likely was a room above Mary Queen of Scots' bedchamber that could only be accessed from the battlements. Six prisoners would attempt the escape from Dune. The rope made from blankets was hung down over the battlements, but it was not strong enough to hold and failed at one point while one of the prisoners was almost to the ground. Although the rope was now missing about 20 feet, the next prisoner, Thomas Barrow, decided to jump the remaining distance. He survived with an injured ankle and ribs, and was able to escape after a local about a mile away lent them one of his horses. The last prisoner decided to remake the rope, but fell after he lost his grip and eventually died from his injuries. This dark passage outside of the castle leads to an underground ice house which dates from around the time of the Jacobites, and was used to preserve ice after the winter months. Also inside the kitchen are remnants of a bread oven, which was likely added during the rising of 1745. In the 1880s, Dune was restored by George Philip Stuart, the 14th Earl of Moray. A title passed down to him back from the Bonnie Earl of Murray we mentioned. It was restored with the intent to keep as much of the medieval aesthetic in place as possible, and that results in the castle that we see today. Dune has been used as the location for many films and TV shows, including Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Outlander, and others. If you do visit the castle, there is an audio guide which is quite good, narrated by Monty Python's Terry Jones. Hope you enjoyed this, if you have anything else to add, let us know in the comments, and thanks for watching.