Hermitage Castle Scottish Borders

The Hermitage Castle is situated  in Liddlesdale in the Scottish Borders.

Hermitage Castle

 



Hermitage Castle Liddlesdale Scottish Borders



The Hermitage Castle occupied a key strategic position in the Scottish Borders and was fought over many times by the English and Scottish.

 

 

The original Castle was built on earthworks in the 1240's, this being developed 120 years later with the commencement of the present stone building.





Hermitage Castle Liddesdale Scottish Borders

In the 16th Century the Hermitage was adapted to counter the threat posed by gun powdered artillery by the construction of earthworks  (a Ravelin) in front of the castle and gun holes punched through the thick castle walls

The practice of the time was to lay siege to a castle and fire cannon at the base of the walls with the intention to weaken and then ccreate a breach. The Ravelin would help prevent this.





Hermitage Castle Liddesdale

Hermitage Castle Liddesdale selfie



Hermitage Castle Liddesdale old entrance


In 1603 when James IV of Scotland also became James I of England, the Hermitage lost it's strategic interest, it was abandoned.

Edinburgh - Edinburgh Castle Mons Meg

Mons Meg was built on the orders of Phillip the Good, Duke of Burgundy in 1449, and was gifted to James 1453. it derives it's name from the fact it was cast in Mons, Belgium and the huge barrel moved to Scotland for mounting on it's carriage.

Mons Meg
Edinburgh Castle

The barrel weights weighs 6,970 kg (15,366 pounds ), is 4.6 m (15 feet ) in length.

The muzzle loading cannon has a caliber of 510mm (20 inches), and was capable of firing a 180kg (400 pounds) stone ball about 3,000 meters (roughly 2 miles). It had a rate of fire of 8 to 10 times a day (due to the considerable heat generated when fired).

 

 

The size of the weapon made it impractical to move in a battle and was only used once at the Siege of Norham Castle in 1513. Together with a similar cannon, they destroyed the outer and inner walls of the castle in a 10 day bombardment. Retired from active service it was used for firing salutes until it's barrel burst 14th October 1681. It was moved to the Tower of London in 1754, before being returned to Edinburgh Castle in 1829.

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