By Sharon Whitley Larsen
I love touring massive Edinburgh Castle — visited by some 1.7 million each year and one of Scotland's most popular tourist sites. And on each of my half-dozen visits I've been charmed by tiny St. Margaret's Chapel, said to be the oldest part of the castle and the oldest surviving building in this historic city. I'm always intrigued watching tourists quietly walk in, take photos of the small stained-glass windows and altar, or sit on the wooden benches, relaxing in the peaceful atmosphere.
Built during the 12th century atop the highest point of Castle Rock, it survived the massive sieges and attacks on the castle (some 26 sieges during its 1,100-year-old history, reportedly the most besieged place in Great Britain and one of the most attacked in the world). The tiny chapel (about 10 feet wide and 16 feet long, capacity 20 worshippers) was built in honor of Scotland's Queen Margaret around 1130, during the reign of her youngest son, King David I. Initially it was used as a private chapel for the royal family.
It even survived an attack on March 14,1314, during the Wars of Independence. Robert the Bruce, whose policy was to destroy all the castle's buildings to avoid their recapture by the English, decreed that the little chapel be spared. On his deathbed in 1329 he spoke of Queen Margaret and bequeathed 40 pounds for any chapel repair.
In the 1530s the royal family moved from the castle to Holyrood Palace — down the hill at the other end of the Royal Mile. No longer used for worship, for some 300 years — from the early 16th century until the mid-1800s — the tiny chapel was used to store gunpowder! It has undergone several restorations — including one in 1853 supported by Queen Victoria — and in 1922 the small windows were replaced with gorgeous stained glass by designer Dr. Douglas Strachan — representing St. Margaret, St. Ninian and St. Columba.
In 1942 the Very Rev. Dr. Ronald Selby Wright, then minister of Canongate Kirk, thought it would be nice to have fresh flowers in the chapel to welcome visitors. He put an ad in the local newspaper asking for women named Margaret to volunteer for this task. The response was overwhelming, and St. Margaret's Chapel Guild was formed. Membership is open to anyone with the name Margaret — and also to schools, churches and other organizations named after St. Margaret. They meet once a year at the castle on St. Margaret's Day, Nov. 16, the anniversary of Queen Margaret's death in 1093.
Selby Wright also wrote to Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, to ask if her daughter, Princess Margaret, might be appointed as the guild's patron. Princess Margaret agreed and served as the patron for her saintly namesake until her death in 2002. Today her niece, Princess Anne, continues the tradition.
In 1993, to honor the 900th anniversary of the death of St. Margaret, the guild participated in a major refurbishment of the chapel, with special wooden benches made and a new custom altar cloth. Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip and Princess Margaret attended this celebration.
Today a guidebook sells in the chapel on the honor system for about $2.50. Since the 1950s, more than 2 million have been printed, with the donations enabling the guild to assist with disasters — and charities, especially those named after St. Margaret. ("Margaret" is derived from the Greek word "Margarites" for "pearl.")
So just who was St. Margaret? A member of the English royal family (her grandfather was Edmund Ironside — King of England in 1016), she was born in Hungary in 1047, one of three children. Known as Margaret of Wessex, she was educated in the Benedictine tradition and, like her sister, Christina, planned to become a nun. At a young age she returned to England with her family when her father was called back as a potential successor to the throne. But shortly after their arrival he suddenly died.
In 1066 her widowed mother decided to return to the European continent to flee the Norman Conquest, but so the story goes, strong winds caused their boat to sail north and they ended up in Scotland instead. There Margaret met King Malcolm III, who had been previously married and had two sons. They wed in 1070; she was 23 and he was 39. They were not much alike — he a rather uncouth warrior who spoke a few languages but couldn't read or write, she a spiritual, compassionate Christian, a devout Roman Catholic who recited scripture to him — which had a calming influence on her husband. They had six sons (three — Edgar, Alexander and David — would become kings of Scotland) and two daughters.
Fondly referred to as "the Pearl of Scotland," beautiful, intelligent Margaret was queen from 1070 until her death at age 48 in 1093 at Edinburgh Castle. During her reign she spent long hours praying, regularly fasted, gave food to the poor and often fed orphaned children herself. She helped establish churches and monasteries and always traveled with her jeweled Gospel book — which, as the story goes, once fell into a river and, miraculously, was not damaged. She established free ferry service over the Forth estuary, making it easier for worshippers to attend the shrine at St. Andrew's. The towns of North and South Queensferry are named in her honor.
In 1093 her husband was killed in battle, as well as her eldest son, Edward. Grief-stricken, Margaret died three days later.
Said to perform miraculous healings after her death upon prayers of her faithful followers, she was declared a saint by Pope Innocent IV in 1250. It was quite unusual for a wife, mother and queen to be named a saint since she was neither a virgin nor a martyr, as most are.
Today St. Margaret's Chapel is still used for services, reflective prayer, baptisms and weddings, and it continues, after 75 years, to have fresh flowers regularly supplied to welcome worshippers and tourists by members of St. Margaret's Chapel Guild.
WHEN YOU GO
St. Margaret's Chapel: www.stmargaretschapel.com/chapel
Edinburgh Castle: www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk
Apex Waterloo Place Hotel: www.apexhotels.com.uk/en/hotels/edinburgh
The Witchery by the Castle (great, magical place to eat; reserve ahead): www.thewitchery.com
The World's End pub: www.worldsend-edinburgh.co.uk
Visit Scotland: www.visitscotland.com
Visit Britain: www.visitbritain.com
Sharon Whitley Larsen is a freelance writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com
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