Details
Founded: 13th centuryCategory: Religious sites in Sweden
Historical period: Consolidation (Sweden)
Rating
5/5 (based on Google user reviews)
The oldest parts of Mörbylånga Church were built in the 13th century. For instance the decorations over the west tower portal have been dated to this period. The church was enlarged and reconstructed in the beginning of 19th century according the design of Johan Petterson. The medieval tower was restored in 1872.
The church possesses a triumphal crucifix, which would have been used in procession during medieval times, from the same period. The porch contains a tombstone from the fourteenth century. The pulpit, by Anders Dahlstrom, was carved in 1747.
References:Craigmillar is one of Scotland’s most perfectly preserved castles. It began as a simple tower-house residence. Gradually, over time, it developed into a complex of structures and spaces, as subsequent owners attempted to improve its comfort and amenity. As a result, there are many nooks and crannies to explore.
The surrounding gardens and parkland were also important. The present-day Craigmillar Castle Park has fascinating reminders of the castle’s days as a rural retreat on the edge of Scotland’s capital city.
At the core lies the original, late-14th-century tower house, among the first of this form of castle built in Scotland. It stands 17m high to the battlements, has walls almost 3m thick, and holds a warren of rooms, including a fine great hall on the first floor.
‘Queen Mary’s Room’, also on the first floor, is where Mary is said to have slept when staying at Craigmillar. However, it is more likely she occupied a multi-roomed apartment elsewhere in the courtyard, probably in the east range.
Sir Simon Preston was a loyal supporter of Queen Mary, whom she appointed as Provost of Edinburgh. In this capacity, he was her host for her first night as a prisoner, at his townhouse in the High Street, on 15 June 1567. She was taken to Lochleven Castle the following day.
The west range was rebuilt after 1660 as a family residence for the Gilmour family.
The 15th-century courtyard wall is well preserved, complete with gunholes shaped like inverted keyholes. Ancillary buildings lie within it, including a private family chapel.
