Castle visitors to feast their eyes on the site of the ‘Black Dinner’

ONE of the oldest surviving parts of Edinburgh Castle – notorious for being the site of the “Black Dinner” which led to the beheadings of the Earl of Douglas and his brother – is set to be opened up to public access by Historic Scotland.

Small escorted groups are to be allowed into David’s Tower, built in the 1370s. It is hidden from public view these days behind the Half Moon Battery.

The tower, which was built for King David II, was also used as a hiding place for Scotland’s crown jewels during the Second World War.

The Tower played a significant part in Scotland’s history in 1440, as the site of the “Black Dinner”, during which the Earl of Douglas, 16, and Wigtown and his younger brother were accused of treason in the presence of King James II, pictured left, who was only ten years old at the time. They were then dragged outside and beheaded.

Nick Finnigan, executive manager of Edinburgh Castle said: “David’s Tower is a fascinating part of Edinburgh Castle’s history.”

BRIAN FERGUSON