The Honours of Scotland – Lost and Found

The Loss of the Regalia and Their Discovery By Walter Scott

Aug 19, 2009

With the creation of Great Britain, the Honours of Scotland lost their primary purpose, but remained an important symbol.

Since the union of the English and Scottish crowns, Scotland was primarily ruled by an absentee monarchy. In 1649, King Charles I was beheaded, ending the civil war in England. This came as a shock to the Scottish people who did not want to get rid of the monarchy. Within days of the king’s execution, the Scottish

In 1649, Charles was beheaded; the beheading of King Charles I came as a great shock to the Scots. Within a few days of the King’s execution, Parliament had proclaimed his son Charles II, King of Scotland. In June the following year King Charles traveled to Scotland to be crowned.

The Kirk of Kinneff

Oliver Cromwell, who defeated King Charles I, invaded Scotland. The Honours of Scotland were removed from Edinburgh Castle and taken north. On January 1, 1651, Charles was crowned on Moot Hill at Scone. It was the last coronation that took place in Scotland.

Meanwhile, Edinburgh Castle had fallen to Cromwell and a new home had to found for the Honours. Charles ordered the Honours taken to the Earl of Marishcal’s castle at Dunnottar.

Cromwell was determined to find the Scottish Crown Jewels and destroy them like he did with the English Crown Jewels. By the end of September, the English had surrounded Dunnottar Castle. The Scots defended the castle for eight months. At some point, the Honours were smuggled out of the castle, but there are conflicting accounts as to how this was done. The Honours were taken to the nearby Kirk of Kinneff and hidden beneath the floor, where they remained for eight years.

Restoration to Edinburgh Castle

In 1658, Oliver Cromwell died. Two years later, Charles II was proclaimed king of Great Britain. The Honours were returned to Edinburgh Castle and placed in a large oak chest in the Crown Room. There was one item, however, that was not included, the Sword Belt. The Sword Belt was saved by George Ogilvie as a memento. It was returned to the Crown Room by a descendent in 1892.

The Honours were never again used to crown a sovereign after Charles II. They were now primarily used to signify the King’s presence at the Scottish Parliament. On January 16, 1707, the Treaty of Union was formally ratified, which combined the two parliaments of England and Scotland. The Scottish Parliament adjourned for the last time on March 26 and the Honours were taken back to Edinburgh Castle. With their primary function taken away, the Honours were locked up in the oak chest and the openings into the Crown Room were walled up.

Rumors of Disappearance

As time passed, rumors of the Honours disappearing began to surface. Some rumors stated that the regalia had been taken to London. Eighty-seven years after the Honours had been hidden, the room was opened by Major Drummond, the Castle’s Lieutenant-Governor. Major Drummond was looking for Parliamentary records. He saw the chest and shook it, but heard nothing. Because he had not authority to open it, he left and the opened was once again walled up.

Sir Walter Scott

Twenty-four years later, in 1818, writer Sir Walter Scott secured a royal warrant to open the oak chest to find the Honours. One the Honours were discovered, preparations were made to put them on permanent display. In 1819, the Crown Room was opened to the public.

In 1822 King George IV became the first British monarch to visit Scotland since Charles II in 1651. At the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the king formally received the Scottish Honours and they were placed in a prominent place during the celebrations. One week later, the Honours were returned to Edinburgh Castle, where they remained for 132 years. At the outset of World War II, they were hidden in a cellar beneath the Crown Room in order to prevent them from falling into German hands. They were moved again in 1941 and buried in the ruins of David’s Tower. When they war ended, the Honours of Scotland were restored to the Crown Room, where they remain today.

Burnett, Charles J. and Christopher J. Tabraham. The Honours of Scotland: The Story of the Scottish Crown Jewels. Edinburgh: Historic Scotland, 1993.

The copyright of the article The Honours of Scotland – Lost and Found in Scottish History is owned by Kim Rush. Permission to republish The Honours of Scotland – Lost and Found in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.