The Most Important Castle in Scotland

Back in 1651, Scotland's Honours, or the Scottish crown jewels, the regalia worn by Scottish kings and queens at their coronation, came very close to being destroyed.

Just two years earlier Oliver Cromwell had destroyed England's regalia, and had indeed beheaded King Charles I.

When Scotland crowned his son, King Charles II, it sent Oliver Cromwell into a somewhat serious huff that saw him send a massive army north to punish and destroy Scotland. Hiding Scotland's Honours was now rather crucial.

After King Charles II had been hastily crowned, Scotland's crown jewels, the sword, sceptre and the very crown itself, could not be returned to Edinburgh Castle, as the castle had now fallen to Cromwell's army.

And so the regalia was sent to what was probably one of the most secure castles in Scotland at the time: Dunnottar.

But with a small garrison of something between 40 and 70 men, Dunnottar Castle had no hope of defending the castle against a huge army, especially when the use of cannon in sieges was now commonplace, and it was only a matter of time before Cromwell's forces gained entry. Something now had to be done to save Scotland's Honours. But what?

Step forward a number of women in the castle, and very brave women at that. It is not clear how the Scottish crown jewels were smuggled out of Dunnottar, whether they were lowered down the rock on ropes and taken away in a boat, or if they were actually smuggled out right under the very nose of the commander of Cromwell's forces. But what is certain is that the regalia was somehow secretly removed from the castle while it was under siege, and taken to Kinneff Church, about 6 miles south of Dunnottar, where it was hidden under the floorboards.

Dunnottar Castle only surrendered to the besieging army when Scotland's Honours were safe.

Scotland's Honours lay buried in Kinneff Church for the next 9 years, and were only returned to Edinburgh when the Stuart Monarchy was restored.

Dunnottar Castle, near Stonehaven, was once the best well-defended castle in Scotland. Without doubt, it remains the most important in Scotland's past, and a must-see for visitors today.