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Blackness Castle

Figurine (period Unassigned)
Blackness Castle
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What is recorded here

Blackness Castle is a 15th-century fortress built by Sir George Crichton in the 1440s, shaped like a ship jutting into the Firth of Forth. It became crown property in 1453 and served as a state prison, holding Cardinal Beaton and the 6th Earl of Angus. Strengthened with advanced artillery defences, it fell to Oliver Cromwell's army in 1650, then remained a prison and garrison before becoming an ammunition depot until 1912.
Scotland's National Record of the Historic Environment records Blackness Castle as Figurine (period Unassigned). The official map says its point is accurate as follows: NGR given to the nearest 1km. The record does not by itself mean that the public may enter the place.
Blackness Castle, located in East Lothian, Scotland, was built by the Douglas family in the early 15th century, with significant expansion by the Stewart kings, particularly James I. It is important as a key stronghold on the Firth of Forth and is often referred to as "the ship that never sailed" due to its ship-like appearance.

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Photo: Steve Kent · CC BY-SA 2.0