Page 73 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL WINTER 2024 SCOTLAND

is “walking” on the sidewalk out front.
This is also the resting place of Agnes
Maclehose, who was revealed to be
“Clarinda”--the married yet separated cor‐
respondent sweetheart of Robert Burns,
who composed poems to her, which were
published after her 1841 death.
Reportedly David Rizzio, the private
secretary of Mary, Queen of Scots—fatally
stabbed 56 times in front of her by her hus‐
band Lord Darnley and his cohorts--is
buried here (although there's been some
dispute). Above the grave is a plaque: “Tra‐
dition says that this is the grave of David
Riccio 1533-66 transported from Holyrood.”
It's worth the short walk to the Palace
of Holyroodhouse to see the rooms where
this crime took place on March 9, 1566;
some say they can still see the bloodstains.

The Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh
is a unique design with
interesting history. Opposite:
The Palace of Holyroodhouse.

St. Margaret's Chapel: Visiting A Tiny Gem At Edinburgh Castle

love touring massive Edinburgh Castle- Built during the 12th century atop the
-visited by some 2 million each year, highest point of Castle Rock, it survived
one of Scotland's most popular tourist the massive sieges and attacks on the cas‐
I sites. And on each of my half-dozen tle (some 26 sieges during its 1100-year-
visits I've been charmed by tiny St. Mar‐ old history, reportedly the most besieged
garet's Chapel, said to be the oldest part place in Great Britain and one of the most
of the castle and the oldest surviving attacked in the world). The tiny chapel
building in this historic city. I'm always in‐ (about 10 feet wide and 16 feet long; ca‐
trigued watching tourists quietly walk in, pacity 20 worshippers) was built in honor
take photos of the small stained-glass of Scotland's Queen Margaret around 1130
windows and altar, or sit on the wooden during the reign of her youngest son, King
benches, relaxing in the peaceful atmos‐ David I. Initially it was used as a private
phere. chapel for the royal family.

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