Elgin Castle

Elgin Castle, Moray
Photo © Anne Burgess, 6 July 1983

These piles of rubble are the remains of what was once Elgin Castle. It stood on the top of Lady Hill, dominating the town. It met the same fate as many another mediaeval Scottish Castle; King Robert the Bruce could not afford the men to garrison it after capturing it from the English, so he had them tear it down to prevent the enemy re-occupying it.

Elgin (Scottish Gaelic: Eilginn) is a former cathedral city and Royal Burgh in Moray, Scotland and is the administrative and commercial centre for Moray. The town originated to the south of the River Lossie on the higher ground above the flood plain. Elgin is first documented in the Cartulary of Moray in 1190. It was created a Royal Burgh in the 12th century by King David I of Scotland and by that time had a castle on top of the present day Lady Hill to the west of the city.

History

In August 1040, MacBeth's army defeated and killed Duncan I at Bothganowan (Pitgaveny), near Elgin. Elgin is first recorded in a charter by King David in 1151 when he granted an annuity to the Priory of Urquhart. It had been made a royal burgh around 1130 by David I following his defeat of Óengus of Moray. It was during David's reign that the castle was established at the top of what is now Lady Hill. The town received a royal charter from Alexander II in 1224 when he granted the land for a new cathedral to Andrew, Bishop of Moray. This finally settled the episcopal see which had been at various times at Kinneddar, Birnie and Spynie. Elgin was a popular residence to the early Scottish monarchs; David I, William I, Alexander II and Alexander III all held their courts there and enjoyed the hunting in the royal forests.

Of all these kings, it was Alexander II who was Elgin's greatest benefactor and who would return time and again to his royal castle. It was he who was responsible for the establishment of the two religious houses of the town; the Dominicans or Blackfriars in the west side and the Franciscans or Greyfriars in the east. Still further to the east stood the Hospital of Maison Dieu, or House of God, which again was founded during the reign of Alexander II and was for the reception of poor men and women.

Elgin cathedralOn 19 July 1224, the foundation stone of the new Elgin Cathedral was ceremoniously laid with completion sometime after 1242. However, the building was completely destroyed by fire in 1270 but the reasons for this are unrecorded. The buildings which now remain as ruins date from the reconstruction following that fire. The Chartulary of Moray described the completed cathedral as "Mirror of the country and the glory of the kingdom".

Edward I of England travelled twice to Elgin. It was during his first visit in 1296 that he was impressed by what he saw. Preserved in the Cotton library now held in the British Library was the journal of his stay, describing the castle and the town of Elgin as "bon chastell et bonne ville" — good castle and good town. His second visit in September 1303 was rather different as the castle's wooden interior had been burned while being held by the English governor, Henry de Rye. As a result, Edward stayed elsewhere, marking the end of any royal association from that time on. He only stayed in Elgin for two days and then camped at Kinloss Abbey from 13 September until 4 October. Edward died in July 1307, and in 1308 Robert the Bruce was taking advantage of Edward II's preoccupation with his dealings in England and France by capturing and usually burning castles either loyal to Edward or English garrisoned. David de Moravia, the Bishop of Moray at the head of his army, joined with Bruce and together burned the castles of Inverness, Nairn and Forres before seizing and burning Kinneddar Castle, which was also housing English soldiers. He attacked Elgin castle only to be twice repulsed before finally succeeding. King Edward was furious and had the Bishop ex-communicated, thus removing papal protection, causing him to flee to Orkney, then to Norway only to return after Edward's death.

Bishop Alexander Bur began payments to Stewart, Wolf of Badenoch, King Robert III's brother, in August 1370 for the protection of his lands and men. In February 1390, the bishop turned to Thomas Dunbar, son of the Earl of Moray, to provide the protection. This action infuriated Stewart and in May he descended from his castle on an island in Lochindorb and burned the town of Forres as revenge. He followed this up in June by burning a large part of Elgin including two monasteries, St Giles Church, the Hospital of Maison Dieu and the cathedral. In Andrew of Wyntoun's Orygynale Cronykil of Scotland (a 15th century history of Scotland) described this action by "wyld, wykked Heland-men". The rebuilding of the cathedral took many years; however much of the areas that have since crumbled away was due to the inferior workmanship of the 15th and 16th century masons while the 13th century construction still remains. In 1506, the great central tower collapsed and although rebuilding work began the next year it was not completed till 1538.