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Edinburgh Castle - Prisons of War
Photographer Description of Edinburgh Castle - Prisons of War
Panorama taken inside the Prisons of War exhibit at Edinburgh Castle. This was a very dark room, requiring exposures up to 15 seconds to get enough light.Edinburgh Castle - Prisons of War - Further Information
The Prisons of War exhibits occupy the vaults of Edinburgh Castle. Inside the vaults visitors will see some of the conditions in which 18th century prisoners were kept, with hammocks hung between wooden frames, some period clothing hanging from the ceiling. Audio recordings give hint of some of the discussions and sounds that might be heard here, from the snoring of sleeping inmates to discussions about hopes for the future and investigation into the death of prisoners, which may have been from scurvy. The exhibition is accessed from Crown Square, and exits near to Drury's Battery and the Military Prison.These prisons were used to house prisoners during several conflicts in the 1700's and 1800's, including the Seven Years' War (1756-1763), the American War of Independence (1775-1783) and the Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815). In 1811 some 49 prisoners escaped from the castle via a hole in the south wall. This persuaded the authorities that the castle was not a suitable site any more for a prison and the castle's role changed to become a national monument. This led to the discovery of the Honours of Scotland (Crown Jewels) in the Crown Room by Sir Walter Scott in 1818. They had lain undisturbed and forgotten in a wooden chest here for over 100 years.
Address:
Edinburgh Castle
Castlehill
Edinburgh
EH1 2NG
Travel Directions and Getting There:
Bus: 24 to Lawnmarket.
Walk: Edinburgh Castle is at the western end of the Royal Mile, which leads down east to the Palace of Holyroodhouse and the Scottish Parliament. This is about 15 minutes walk from [[4324,Waverley Station]] and the [[4325,Tourist Information Centre]].
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