Zamek Tantallon, Scottish guides, Historic Investigations
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Tantallon Castle
is one of
the most impressive and
genuinely awe-inspiring castles
in Scotland. The giant curtain
wall rears up from placid green
ields. Within the castle the land
plummets to the sea below.
INVESTIGATING
TANTALLON CASTLE
Information for Teachers
INVESTIGATING
HISTORIC SITES
TANTALLON CASTLE
2
Timeline
c1360
Castle built by
William, 1st earl of
Douglas
Tantallon Castle is one of the
most impressive and genuinely
awe-inspiring castles in Scotland.
The giant curtain wall rears up
from placid green ields. Within
the castle the land plummets to
the sea below. A visit here is a
memorable and exciting way to
inspire pupils to engage with the
past.
young James V. He held James captive in
Edinburgh Castle until 1528 when the
young king escaped and led an attack on
Tantallon. His forces battered the castle
for 20 days and the earl was later forced
into exile.
1491
Castle under siege
by James IV following
anti-royal plot
James set to strengthening the castle,
illing in the chambers and towers in
the curtain wall to make it stronger and
rebuilding the wallhead to take heavy
guns. A fore tower was added to the
mid tower and the outer defences were
improved before the earl’s unrepentant
return.
1528
James V attacks
Tantallon for 20 days. 6th
earl exiled to England.
James retakes Tantallon
for Crown
Historical background
Tantallon Castle was built around the
middle of the 14th century, probably by
William, 1st earl of Douglas. The huge
curtain wall survives from this time
and it is still possible to make out the
remains of the three great towers that
projected from the wall.
Post 1528
Major
rebuilding ongoing.
Defences strengthened;
chambers and towers in
curtain wall illed in
Because of their associations with the
English, Tantallon emerged unscathed
from the English invasion of 1543. In
1651 the castle was back in the thick
of events once more. A group of 91
royalists made the castle their base for
disrupting Cromwell’s supply lines as
he attempted to conquer Scotland. In
response, 2000-3000 soldiers under
Cromwell’s General Monk bombarded
the castle for 12 days, destroying
the Douglas and East Towers almost
completely and forcing the garrison into
surrender.
1543
Return of exiled 6th
earl. English ambassador
based here during
“Rough Wooing”
In about 1402, the Douglas family split
into two branches: the ‘Red’ and the
‘Black’ Douglases. The Red Douglases
were based at Tantallon and took the
title of earls of Angus. Powerful and
ambitious, they kept the monarchs of
Scotland on their toes with their shifting
loyalties. The irst challenge came in
1491 when they plotted to hand over
the young James IV to the English king.
James responded by besieging Tantallon
from the land and the sea.
1566
Visit by Mary Queen
of Scots
1650
Tantallon
bombarded by
Cromwell’s troops; badly
damaged; abandoned by
earls of Angus
1699
Sold to Sir Hew
Dalrymple
From then on the castle was
uninhabitable and in 1924 it was taken
into state care.
Late 1800s
Fabric of
castle secured
In 1525 the 6th earl married the widow
of James IV, becoming stepfather to the
1924
Tantallon taken into
state care
Tantallon Castle
HISTORIC SCOTLAND
EDUCATION
TANTALLON CASTLE
3
Supporting learning
and teaching
A visit to
Tantallon Castle
is
particularly appropriate for
teachers working on class
study topics such as:
Before the visit
Working on site
• Help pupils gain a clearer grasp of
the time scale by making a time
line with them, counting back the
centuries and then marking on key
events. It may help to identify the
different periods of construction,
possibly colour coded. This could be
added to after the visit.
When exploring the castle, pupils
should be encouraged to look critically
at what they see, and to make and test
theories based on physical evidence.
Useful starting points are:
• Why do you think the castle was built
here? What are its natural defences?
• What materials were used to build
the castle?
• What evidence is there for everyday
life?
• How has the castle changed over the
years?
Pupils can record evidence by:
• Taking notes.
• Sketching.
• Taking photographs.
• Recording impressions into a tape
recorder.
On the Historic Scotland website:
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/
education_unit
teachers can ind
additional resources to help with work
on site. These include compiling an
Evidence Record
and a
My Impressions
Record
.
• The Middle Ages
• Castles
The
Curriculum for
Excellence
aspires to
motivate and challenge pupils
through a wide range of
varied learning experiences.
Site visits have a particular
role to play in joining up
learning outcomes across the
curriculum. A visit, and use of
the supporting materials, will
help to:
• Discuss the organisation of
life in a castle. Pupils could
investigate the roles of these key
‘managers’:
steward
(household
staff);
constable
(security and
defence);
marshal
(transport and
communications); and
chaplain
(writing and spiritual matters).
• develop successful learners
by challenging pupils
to consider how life has
changed for people. It will
help them to think critically
about evidence and arrive
at their own conclusions.
• Discuss with pupils all the different
activities that would have gone on
in a castle. Pupils could research
different topics (e.g. food, travel,
entertainment, weapons) to prepare
them for the visit.
• develop conident
individuals
. Pupils wilI
learn about aspects of their
community’s past, develop
an understanding of social
changes, establish some
of their own values and
communicate their views
on different historical and
social issues.
• It is helpful if pupils have some
terminology relevant to castles
as this makes discussion on-site
easier. Useful words might include:
courtyard, chamber, curtain
wall, crenellations, drawbridge,
portcullis, dovecot, shield,
archway, gun loop, turnpike
stair, battlement, cannon, siege,
bombardment
. Pupils could
produce a class illustrated dictionary
to explain these terms.
Suggestions for follow-up work
Following the visit pupils can pool their
indings in groups to create a fuller
record of the castle and the lives of the
people who lived and worked there.
This could form the basis for a range of
presentation activities, for example:
• A guide book or promotional lealet
for future visitors.
• A slide show with commentary of
their visit.
• Imaginative writing based on the
lives of the inhabitants or attackers of
the castle.
• A series of drama sketches showing
different snapshots of life in the
castle through the ages.
• develop responsible
citizens
. It will help to
increase pupils’ social
and historical knowledge
and understanding and
encourage greater respect
for their own historic and
built environment.
• Some children ind it hard to
imagine that a castle was ever
anything other than a ruin. Discuss
how wind and weather can affect
the look of a building as well as the
deliberate changes that people
choose to make to buildings.
• develop effective
contributors
by broadening
pupils’ knowledge and
understanding through
investigative, creative and
critical thinking.
• There is plenty of good evidence
on-site relating to defending and
attacking castles. Discuss with pupils
the range of ways that castles could
be attacked and defended.
HISTORIC SCOTLAND
EDUCATION
TANTALLON CASTLE
4
Plan of Tantallon Castle
On the trail of
Tantallon Castle
The history of Tantallon
Castle is both murky and
complex, and is confused
further by the fact that
many of the earls were
called Archibald and
many kings were called
James. Because of this,
the emphasis is rather on
looking at the building
itself as a source of
evidence for life in the
14-17th centuries.
Our suggested
tour route
focuses on everyday life
in what remains of the
castle, with nine key
locations, marked on the
plan to the right:
1. The Outer Gate
2. The Curtain Wall
3. The Entrance
4. The Close
5. The Pit Prison
6. The Hall
7. The Vaults and
Kitchen
8. The Battlements
9. The Replica Gun
10. The Dovecot
Background information
is given in the pack for
each location. It is written
in simple language so
that it can be read aloud
to pupils.
Also included are
suggested
questions for
discussion
.The focus is
on encouraging pupils
to
interpret
the building
and deduce what they
can from clues they see
around them.
6
7
5
8
4
3
9
2
10
1
Plan of castle
Images of altered gatehouse
Allow about an hour.
HISTORIC SCOTLAND
EDUCATION
TANTALLON CASTLE
5
Did you know...
Tour notes: On the trail of Tantallon Castle
Outside Tantallon Castle
The coat of arms for the
Douglas family includes a
red heart. This is because
Sir James Douglas, one of
Robert the Bruce’s closest
supporters was given the
job of taking Bruce’s heart
to the Holy Land after he
died in 1329.
Stand by the panel just past the steward’s ofice. It shows how the castle might have
looked when irst built around 1350.
Setting the scene: This can be read to pupils.
Tantallon Castle was built more than 600 years ago by the powerful Douglas family.
After 1400, the Douglas family split into two parts – the Red and the Black Douglases.
The Red Douglases were based at Tantallon and had the title earls of Angus. They
were often involved in political plots and had lots of enemies – so they needed a
strong castle. Sometimes the enemy was the king of Scotland himself! The castle
was attacked lots of times and in 1651 it was bombarded so badly that the Anguses
moved out. No one has lived in the castle for more than 300 years, so it looks very
different now from how it used to look. As we go round, look out for evidence of how
the castle was attacked and defended.
Walk along the path towards the castle. Stop by the stone gateway, before you cross a
modern wooden bridge.
Location 1: The Outer Gateway
Background information for teachers. This can be read to pupils.
• If you were attacking the castle, this would be your irst big obstacle. You would
have to cross the ditch and then get through the gateway.
• There used to be a huge wooden door in the gate.
Can you make out the archway?
• If you managed to get through the door, you would immediately be shot at by
people inside the castle.
The outer gateway
Teacher prompts Desired pupil responses
You would have to dodge enemy gunire 10 gunholes.
from the people defending the castle. How
many gunholes can you see in the wall?
What do you think the small tower to your A gun tower for cannons.
right was used for?
What other obstacles can you see here that Remains of a stone wall.
you would have to overcome? Built up earthworks as barricade.
Deep ditch, possibly illed with
water.
This gate was added about seventy years Saw need for better defences.
after the castle was built. Why do you think Changes in types of weapons
the Earls of Angus added it? used.
If you were commanding the attacking troops, Own ideas – possibly to try to
what do you think the best way through this knock down wall from a distance
gate would be? using catapult or cannon ire.
Surprise – attack at night.
Go through the gate and follow the path towards the castle. Stop by the panel in the
middle of the grass showing the castle under siege in 1528.
Remains of gun tower
HISTORIC SCOTLAND
EDUCATION
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