Inside Edinburgh’s oldest building built around 1130 where Scotland’s royal family once worshipped
A video shows Edinburgh’s oldest building - a small chapel built around 1130 - which continues to host weddings and christenings today.
Footage shows inside Edinburgh’s oldest building - a small chapel where Scotland’s royal family once worshipped.
St Margaret’s Chapel in Edinburgh Castle was built around 1130. King David I named the chapel for his mother Queen Margaret, who was said to have performed many acts of charity, and was canonised by Pope Innocent IV in 1250.
In the 1500s, the chapel was used as a gunpowder store. It was later given bomb-proof vaulting. Its origins were forgotten and only rediscovered by the antiquary Sir Daniel Wilson in 1845.
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The chapel’s ornate arches are original, while other features such as the stained glass windows are more recent. Fresh flowers are always on display, thanks to St Margaret’s Chapel Guild - all its members share the saint’s name and live in Scotland.
Today, St Margaret’s Chapel is open to all castle visitors, with it continuing to host weddings and christenings.