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The image top is from Falkland Village High
Street looking towards Falkland Palace and
entrance. The Palace was built from the early
1500s for Kings James IV / Stuart and James V.
The Palace was built around an earlier Castle
from the 1200s. This is one of five Royal
Palaces in Scotland.
The image second top is of the Palace
Chapel. Third top is of the Tapestry
Corridor.
The Library and Old Kitchen are in the main
section of the Palace.
The Tower House contains the Kings and
Queens bedrooms from the time they used the
Palace.
Just outside the Tower is a large Chess Set
in the Gardens.
The Gardens are a nice peaceful place to
spend some time. These were originally laid out
in 1451 with them being re-designed in the
1940s by Percy Cane.
The Royal Tennis Court is at the bottom of
the Gardens. This was completed in 1541.
Falkland Palace History
1100s - a Hunting Lodge is situated where
Falkland Palace is today.
1200s - the Hunting Lodge was extended into
a Castle for the Earls of Fife/Clan
MacDuff.
1337 - Falkland Castle was destroyed by
English forces during the
Second War of
Scottish Independence.
1371 - the rebuilt Castle passed to the
Duke of Albany
/ Robert Stewart.
1402 - Robert imprisoned his nephew and
rival to the throne David, Duke of Rothesay,
the eldest son of King Robert
III, in the Well Tower at Falkland. The
imprisoned Duke died from neglect and
starvation. The Duke of Albany died in 1420
without becoming king of Scotland.
1430s - construction of the Royal Palace
inside the large fortress of Edinburgh
Castle begins. This is a fairly small
Palace but secure inside the Castle walls.
1503 - James IV completed the large Linlithgow
Palace by Edinburgh as the Scots Royals
largest Palace. This was a country Palace with
little defense.
1501 to 1541 - Kings James IV and James V
transformed the old Castle at Falkland into a
Royal Palace. This Palace and vast surrounding
forest was popular with Royals for falconry,
hunting deer, and wild boar.
Falkland Palace was built in French
renaissance style with a Royal Tennis Court
added in 1541, the oldest in Britain with it
still being used today.
1540 - James V had a Palace built inside the
large fortress of Stirling
Castle, although not as large as Linlithgow
or Falkland, it was more secure being inside
the Castle walls.
1542 December 8th - Mary Queen of Scots,
daughter of James V is born at Linlithgow
Palace by Edinburgh.
1542 December 14th - James V died at
Falkland Palace after his army's defeat at the
Battle of Solway
Moss in November that year. This Battle was
between the forces of James V and Henry VIII of
England over Henry wanting James to change from
Catholic to Protestant.
1543 January 4th - the Kings body was
transferred to Holyrood Abbey
in Edinburgh to be buried.
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