| The
East Lothian coastal fortress of Dunbar
Castle dates back to the twelfth century when it was built for the
Cospatrick family. The Cospatrick’s later changed their name to Dunbar
after the place name of their main Castle, i.e. Dun - tower, on the bar.
In 1314 Edward II fled here after the
Battle of Bannockburn then boarded a boat to Berwick upon Tweed.
In 1338 Black Agnes Countess of Dunbar
defended the Castle for 5 months against the English armies of Salsibury
and Arundel. The siege was eventually raised by Alexander Ramsay with 40
men, who managed to get through the English blockading force with
supplies.
In 1488 the Castle was dismantled by
order of the Scots parliament to prevent it falling into English hands,
however, James IV later had the Castle rebuilt in the 1490’s.
Mary, Queen of Scots fled to Dunbar after
the death of Rizzio in 1566 and once again in 1567 after the murder of
her husband Darnley. After her abdication Dunbar was finally dismantled
for the last time by order of the Scots parliament and it then fell into
a ruined state.
|
