Month: April 2009

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Linlithgow’s Medieval pageant celebrates 1503

Medieval Knights will escort King James IV and his queen to palace joust . Linlithgow Palace has announced details of one of the biggest-ever weekends of visitor events at the Royal Palace.

Party at the Palace, a key part of the national Homecoming celebrations, takes place on 23 and 24 May and will be an extravaganza of entertainment and fun based round events at Scotland’s royal court in 1503. It was a year in which Scotland celebrated the marriage of King James IV to Margaret Tudor and the signing of the Treaty of Perpetual Peace with England.

Each day will start with a magnificent horseback procession in which a cavalcade of up to 10 mounted knights in armour will escort King James and his new queen along Linlithgow High Street to the palace.

They will be accompanied by dozens of courtiers and the followers of four great noble families whose champions will then take part in spectacular jousting.  It promises to be a truly memorable weekend full of medieval colour and spectacle – and will recall the days when Scotland’s kings and queens were frequent visitors to their great palace in Linlithgow .This is one of the largest events Historic Scotland has ever staged and will include more than 120 costumed performers. There will be lots to do and see with jesters, poets, storytellers, musicians, dancers, falconers and cooks filling the palace. There will even be an alchemist trying to turn ordinary metals into gold, and an etiquette tutor who will teach young visitors what to do and say if they bump into the king and queen.

And there’s every chance of that happening as James introduces his bride to her subjects and they walk the grounds and watch the tournament held in their honour.Party at the Palace is based on a period of significant historical importance and looks set to be a fantastic fun-filled weekend of education and entertainment for all ages.

There will be two sessions of horseback jousting each day, plus a display of falconry.

The outdoor activities will come to a climax each afternoon when up to 80 foot warriors will gather in the main arena and do battle to decide which great clan will be the tournament champions.

The clans fighting it out will be the:

Campbells

Lindsays

Douglases

Hamiltons

All were powerful and influential in the early 16th century, and constantly struggling for supremacy and doing all they could to gain royal favour.

Each clan will have its own tented camp where visitors can meet the nobles, soldiers and their followers and discover what life would have been like in 1503. Inside the palace children will be able to help bakers knead the dough for fresh bread to be served to the king and queen when they arrive for a meal . Another special feature will be that the King’s Fountain, a 5m tall masterpiece of Renaissance architecture located in the palace courtyard, will be made to flow. Discuss this article on the castle pictures blog

Small flags will be available on the day with the coats of arms of each clan taking part in the tournament so visitors can show who they support. Linlithgow Palace is a medieval castle for the day

Party at the Palace is part of Historic Scotland’s contribution to the Scottish Government’s 2009 Year of Homecoming and is part-funded by Homecoming Scotland 2009. Linlithgow Palace screensavers

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Stirling Castle gets brand new image

Stirling Castle is one of the best castles in Scotland with a rich and fascinating history  .Stirling Castle is now getting a makeover with a striking new brand identity to raise its profile as one of Scotland’s premier visitor attractions and further develop its tourism business.
The creation of the Stirling Castle brand is part of the £12 million Stirling Castle Palace Project which will see the royal lodgings at Stirling Castle returned to the Renaissance magnificence of the mid 16th century.
The stunning stronghold’s unique identity conveys both its character and significance in Scottish history.

The exclusive, striking logo contains references to Scotland’s coat of arms, the unicorn tapestries and the sculptures on Stirling Castle’s Great Hall roof.  The unicorn, the enigmatic mythological beast, features throughout Stirling Castle.  The new mark also takes its shape from the famous circular wood-carved Stirling heads.  Its references and complex detail are emblematic of pageantry and royal status, and features Stirling Castle sitting high up in its green and leafy setting.
Historic Scotland Marketing and Media Manager Rebecca Hamilton said: “This new logo we have created conveys a sense of depth, experience, royal authority, richness and intimacy.  Marrying the highly decorative with an intimate experience is very apt for Stirling Castle.
“Our aim was to create a distinctive, memorable and stronger visual identity which embodies the special importance and character of Stirling Castle.  It is a truly outstanding attraction with a range of visitor experiences.  And the completion of the Stirling Castle Palace Project in 2011 will see the visitor experience enhanced further.”
The logo will be phased in at the attraction for a wide variety of uses including signage, vehicle livery, staff uniforms, publications for visitors, and interpretation of the castle’s history, as well as in Historic Scotland’s website details on the site.

The Stirling Castle Palace Project involves the conservation and refurbishment of the Royal Lodgings to present them as they might have appeared in the heyday of Scotland’s Stewart court in the mid 16th century. Extensive historical and archaeological research has been carried out to ensure the interior decoration, as well as the materials and craftsmanship used, are as authentic as possible.
An interpretive display on the court of James V will be created in the palace vaults and a Renaissance Gallery on the upper floors of the palace will house the original Stirling Heads, a rare group of intricately carved oak ceiling medallions depicting kings, queens, courtiers and mythological creatures.  Costumed interpreters will bring the rich history of the 16th century to life to enrich visitors’ enjoyment.
Chris Watkins, head of Historic Scotland’s major projects team, said: “The Stirling Castle Palace Project will not only conserve the palace as a monument of international importance but also present and interpret the magnificence of the royal lodgings, the superb Renaissance carvings and the life of the royal court.
“The project will enable us to maximise the appeal of Scotland’s finest Renaissance palace and encourage more people to visit both the castle and the city of Stirling.  And the creation of the Stirling Castle brand, with its distinctive new logo, will play a very important part in helping us promote and project all that this wonderful attraction stands for and offers.”

Stirling Castle videos – Stirling Castle picture gallery