POW Experience
at Edinburgh Castle

Napoleonic News Desk

by Paul Chamberlain

Edinburgh Castle was used to house prisoners of war during the 18th Century. Prisoners were first housed in the vaults beneath the Great hall and the Queen Anne Building during the Seven Years War, and again during the American War of Independence. During the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars they were again used to house captives.

There is now a permanent exhibition at the Castle telling the story of the prisoners held there. This visitor experience is based upon the events of 27th June 1781 when Edinburgh Castle was the main prisoner of war depot in the north of the country, home to many hundreds of French, Spanish, Dutch, Irish and American captives. This number includes at least two crewmen who had served with John Paul Jones, renowned as 'father of the American navy'.

Visitors enter from the Queen Anne Building and view an introductory video, following which they descend into the vaults using an original staircase that was unblocked as part of the project. Voices and shadows call visitors down into the first prison vault where the prisoner's hammocks and bed trusses dominate the candlelit area. The next vault picks up the tale of John Paul Jones, and the lower vaults tell the story of the Spanish, Dutch and Irish prisoners. Three of the original prison doors are on display, on which are carved the names and senti-ments of many of the men held there.

The story also tells of the prisoners held at the castle during the Napoleonic period. One room of the visitor experience is devoted to displays of craft items produced by the prisoners. Such items include a lady's jewellery box made by a French prisoner at Dumbarton Castle in 1800; a wooden snuff box made by a prisoner held in Perth prison later in the Napoleonic period; and straw-work made by the prisoners at Edinburgh around 1800. In addition, on display are some examples of forged banknotes made by prisoners of war.

For details of opening times visit the website www.historic-scotland.gov.uk

Napoleonic News Desk

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