Editing Edinburgh Castle (section)

===19th century to the present===

[[File:George IV at Edinburgh Castle 1822.jpg|thumb|left|alt=Drawing of the castle surrounded by crowds|King George IV waves from the battlements of the Half Moon Battery in 1822, drawn by James Skene]]

A mass prison break in 1811, in which 49 prisoners of war escaped via a hole in the south wall, persuaded the authorities that the castle vaults were no longer suitable as a prison. This use ceased in 1814<ref>Tabraham (2004), pp. 59–63.</ref> and the castle began gradually to assume a different role as a national monument. In 1818, [[Walter Scott|Sir Walter Scott]] was given permission to search the castle for the [[Crown of Scotland]], believed lost after the union of Scotland and England in 1707. Breaking into a sealed room, now known as the Crown Room, and unlocking a chest within, he rediscovered the [[Honours of Scotland]], which were then put on public display with an entry charge of one [[shilling]].<ref name=Tabraham60>Tabraham (2008), p. 60.</ref> In 1822, King [[George IV]] made a [[Visit of King George IV to Scotland|visit to Edinburgh]], becoming the first reigning monarch to visit the castle since Charles II in 1651. In 1829, the cannon Mons Meg was returned from the Tower of London, where it had been taken as part of the process of disarming Scotland after "the '45", and the palace began to be opened up to visitors during the 1830s.<ref name=MacIvor107>MacIvor (1993), p. 107.</ref> St Margaret's Chapel was "rediscovered" in 1845, having been used as a store for many years.<ref name=Tabraham60/> Works in the 1880s, funded by the Edinburgh publisher William Nelson and carried out by [[Hippolyte Blanc]], saw the Argyle Tower built over the Portcullis Gate and the Great Hall restored after years of use as a barracks.<ref name=BoS85-86/> A new Gatehouse was built in 1888. During the 19th century, several schemes were put forward for rebuilding the whole castle as a [[Scottish baronial style]] ''château''. Work began in 1858, but was soon abandoned, and only the hospital building was eventually remodelled in 1897.<ref name=BoS85-86/> Following the death of [[Albert, Prince Consort|Prince Albert]] in 1861, the architect [[David Bryce]] put forward a proposal for a {{convert|50|m|ft|adj=on}} keep as a memorial, but [[Queen Victoria]] objected and the scheme was not pursued.<ref>Devine, p. 293.</ref>

[[File:Soldiers of the Castle garrison, c.1845.jpg|thumb|right|180px|Soldiers of the [[92nd Regiment of Foot]] (later [[Gordon Highlanders]]) while on garrison duty at the castle in 1845.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2007-10-28|title=2nd Bn, The Gordon Highlanders: Service|url=http://www.regiments.org/deploy/uk/reg-inf/092-1.htm |access-date=2021-09-16|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071028081336/http://www.regiments.org/deploy/uk/reg-inf/092-1.htm |archive-date=28 October 2007}}</ref>]]
[[File:Edinburgh Castle by Thomas Keith.jpg|left|thumb|[https://library.nga.gov/permalink/01NGA_INST/1p5jkvq/alma994204278304896 Edinburgh Castle, waxed-paper negative by Thomas Keith, c. 1855]. Department of Image Collections, National Gallery of Art Library, Washington DC]]
In 1905, responsibility for the castle was transferred from the [[War Office]] to the [[Office of Works]],<ref>Tabraham (2008), p. 61.</ref> although the garrison remained until 1923, when the troops moved to [[Redford Barracks]] in south-west Edinburgh. The castle was again used as a prison during the First World War, when "[[Red Clydeside]]r" [[David Kirkwood]] was confined in the military prison block, and during the Second World War, when downed German ''Luftwaffe'' pilots were captured.<ref>Tabraham (2004), p. 63.</ref> The position of [[List of Governors of Edinburgh Castle|Governor of Edinburgh Castle]], vacant since 1876, was revived in 1935 as an honorary title for the [[General Officer Commanding]] in Scotland, the first holder being Lieutenant-General Sir Archibald Cameron of Lochiel.<ref>Gray, p. 79.</ref> The castle passed into the care of [[Historic Scotland]] when it was established in 1991, and was designated a [[Scheduled Ancient Monument]] in 1993.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://data.historic-scotland.gov.uk/pls/htmldb/ESCHEDULE.P_ESCHEDULE_DOWNLOADFILE?p_file=90130 |title=Entry in the Schedule of Monuments: The Monument known as Edinburgh Castle |publisher=Historic Scotland |year=1993 |access-date=19 March 2011 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110814075809/http://data.historic-scotland.gov.uk/pls/htmldb/ESCHEDULE.P_ESCHEDULE_DOWNLOADFILE?p_file=90130 |archive-date=14 August 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> The buildings and structures of the castle are further protected by 24 separate [[listed building|listings]], including 13 at [[Category A listed|category A]], the highest level of protection for a historic building in Scotland,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://data.historic-scotland.gov.uk/pls/htmldb/f?p=2200:12:0::NO:RP:KEY,COU,PB,CAT,DF,DT:Edinburgh%20Castle%2C230%2C%2CA%2C%2C |title=Listed buildings in Edinburgh Castle |publisher=Historic Scotland |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150604194622/http://data.historic-scotland.gov.uk/pls/htmldb/f?p=2200%3A12%3A0%3A%3ANO%3ARP%3AKEY%2CCOU%2CPB%2CCAT%2CDF%2CDT%3AEdinburgh%20Castle%2C230%2C%2CA%2C%2C |archive-date=4 June 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and special care was taken when installing 31&nbsp;kW [[solar panel]]s on the roof of the War Memorial, obscured by its parapet.<ref>{{cite web |title=AES Solar installs PV at Edinburgh Castle |url=https://renews.biz/77591/aes-solar-installs-pv-at-edinburgh-castle/ |website=reNEWS – Renewable Energy News |date=3 May 2022}}</ref> The [[Old Town, Edinburgh|Old]] and [[New Town, Edinburgh|New Towns of Edinburgh]], a [[World Heritage Sites in the United Kingdom|World Heritage Site]] inscribed by [[UNESCO]] in 1995, is described as "dominated by a medieval fortress".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/728 |title=Old and New Towns of Edinburgh |publisher=UNESCO |website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |access-date=5 June 2011 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130120141829/https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/728 |archive-date=20 January 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref>