Lost in Linlithgow

We are back in a graveyard. Technically, we did not start in a graveyard. Rather, we had a little breakfast on the go, took a quick train ride to Linlithgow, and planned to start at the Linlithgow Palace… But we are early, and the palace is not open yet. So, we are looking around the kirkyard adjacent to St. Michael’s and Linlithgow Palace. Grey clouds are slowly rolling in, creating an overcast sky for a rainy day later. We peer around the corner to glance at tombstones, gothic architecture, and outbursts of thistles on the perimeter of the kirkyard. To be completely honest, we have the perfect view to see the east side of the palace facade that used to have a drawbridge. I do understand that walking through graveyards is not for everyone, this is not my usual activity either, but they can provide some intriguing walks in fascinating places.

As I circle to the front of the church, I worry that maybe we should remove ourselves from the kirkyard as an older gentleman walks towards us intently. Fortunately, he is here to invite us inside to look around St. Michael’s if we would like. Service will not start for another hour, so we are not disturbing anyone. What a surprise we were in for as we could walk into this 12th/13th century church with enchanting windows, and a handful of people greeting us and telling us the history of the church. We walk through the church via aisles and between streaming equipment, enjoying the preparation taking place; bustling bodies getting ready for choir practice, the organisation of a children’s play area by the new stained glass window, and the tidying up of welcome papers by each entrance. Everyone cheerfully bids us farewell as we exit, though, perhaps bummed that we did not stay for service (or I am overthinking it.) Nevertheless, I am excited for the main attraction of the day: Linlithgow Palace.

The staff welcomes us at the entrance of the palace and warns us, “Don’t worry about getting lost here, it is part of the fun.” It is fun - I want to get lost! If this place is a labyrinth, I hope this is a puzzle that my cognitive mapping skills cannot break, unless we need water or to escape for an emergency. The staff here also has a sense of humour and fun as they provide a “this day in history” fact everyday of the year. This makes sense as Linlithgow Palace, a royal palace, is sure to have a plentiful amount of documentation regarding the movements and developments of the site. For context, Linlithgow Palace is the birthplace of King James V and Mary, Queen of Scots. According to the Historic Environment Scotland website , the current palace today began its reconstruction under James I of Scotland in 1424, and was further developed by his successors. Staff and historians can look back at documents regarding the numerous additions to the palace over different generations, shipment notices for materials on their way to the palace, as well as letters from royals and friends that came to visit.

With the understanding that this palace was subsequently worked on by various Scottish rulers, this helps me to grasp why the interior courtyard is a mismatched blend of architectural styles. One interior facade looks like a fantastical, French castle facade, though filled with shadows where statues once were. Another side has a neo-classical look with triangular pediments and more geometric towers. The third facade is sprinkled with gothic windows, suggesting where long corridors could be. The last side is relatively barren in its design, though the wall is temporarily covered by scaffolding. However, the central fountain is eyecatching with a number of unicorns, wildlife, and regular people almost leaping from the stone. As the architecture and fountain overwhelm the senses, I find a bench nearby and take a moment to absorb this place. Despite the fact that the palace is in ruins, I feel as if I have walked into a palace of wonders.

There are quite a few spiral staircases in which you can climb up and down to the different levels of the palace. We choose to begin at the northwest tower, catching quick glances of the north section of the palace while it is under conservation. In the first room within the royal apartments, I walk over to the windows and appreciate the views of the loch and the Scottish landscape. While there are no modern seats, this does not stop me from sitting on the ground by the interior courtyard windows, taking a moment to sketch the courtyard, and other views from my vantage point. However, I pay the price for my actions of sitting on the floor as I freak out seeing a spider float down from my hair to my face! I know it is just a small spider, but I am not a fan of spiders.

We continue to walk through the spaces at different speeds, each room providing another view of the ruins, a collection of palace artifacts, or some peace and quiet. A room I linger in a bit longer is the former chapel. Quite picturesque, the ruins beautifully frame part of the aforementioned St. Michael’s church. I sketch (standing up and away from cobwebs this time) where holy water was once held and the remnants of angels decorating what remains of the chapel’s decoration. Equally enchanting due to the magnitude of its space is the Great Hall. We are able to climb up to the upper levels to capture another view of the Great Hall and courtyard, so I run up another spiral staircase and wave gracefully down towards Ramón and others as if I am royalty. Though, I am sure that Mary, Queen of Scots did not wear jeans and a windbreaker.

The ongoing restoration efforts of the north side of the palace is where things get a bit tricky. We do not get lost, but are trying to figure out if we have seen everything yet as we avoid blocked off sections in the northeast tower. Kitchen in the darkest room of the palace with a mysterious pit - check, medieval bathroom with no sinks - check, dungeon room with a hole where prisoners were carried down into… check, dungeon room where part of Outlander was filmed- check, and a door leading out of the palace sans drawbridge - check! Our last stop requires us to backtrack over to the northwest tower so that we can see Queen Margaret’s Bower. According to the plaques in the palace, Queen Margaret had nightmares of her husband, King James IV, dead after he left for a battle at Flodden. This was interpreted to be a warning of the distressing news to come. It was at this Bower, Queen Margaret awaited news of her husband. I understand her feelings as I am scared as well. Not about similar nightmares, but at the distressing little clearance there is between the tower perch and the walls to look down on the palace below. Beautiful, do not get me wrong, but a bit scary as I hope I do not unrealistically fall over and off the tower.

I welcome the ground once we have descended the spiral staircase, and take a quick stop at the palace’s amenities. There, we encounter a set of VR goggles and a wooden looking throne. With the viewing contraption on my head, loud choral music awakens my mind to a 3D rendering of what the chapel in the palace could have looked like. I quickly toggle between what the chapel may have looked like in the past versus the present day condition as if I can somehow merge the two. I cannot, but it is a great experience for the palace to have for visitors like us who hope to see a glimpse of the palace in its prime.

Now, if you think there is only one Mary famous in this town, that makes you at least the third person who is wrong. Why does that matter? Well, as the first rain of the day descends on us, we make our way into The Four Marys for lunch. Here we learn that Mary, Queen of Scots, had four ladies in waiting named Mary. I can imagine it must have been confusing when someone wanted to get one of the Marys’ attention. On the flip side, lunch is chill and easy in this cozy pub as their Scottish specials are delicious. We enjoy a bowl of Cullen Skink, and a delectable stew with some vegetables. Our small pints of beer wash down the last bites of our meal, and prepare us to go back outside into the soft rain.

We meander in and out of various stores, until we see that the Linlithgow Museum is open. For context, this museum to me is a treasure chest within another treasure chest, as the museum is hidden on the second floor of a library. If the library was open today, it would probably be hard for me to leave the building, period. As we enter the museum, I worry that this may be a small, quick walk through. I am delightfully proven wrong as it is stocked with all of the information you want to know about a town. I read about what history happened here, what people did, smell what it smelled like in its industrial era (yes, they had boxes of scents of different products produced by tradesmen, factories, and farms), as well as learn more ghost stories. Of course, there is some overlap with the information provided at the Linlithgow Palace, but the Linlithgow Museum helps to complement, contextualise, and reinforce the information we are learning today.

After an hour or so in the museum, our feet and eyes have become weary from all of the exploration. We need a pick me up before we fall asleep in the projector room. Back outside, we make our way towards a coffee shop, Aran, within the main square. This break allows us to enjoy people watching, explore some local art, and listen to quiet coffee chats and sounds from the cobblestone streets. We have a couple more hours of the day left before we must take the train back to Edinburgh, but we decide we can take an earlier train. Anyways, what is a vacation without some relaxation.

---

Thanks Linlithgow for the adventure. In my next post, I will share our experience going into the Highlands.

Also, feel free to check out my Etsy page as I share some art inspired by the thistles.