Friday, March 5, 2010

History Seekers Will Love Linlithgow - West Lothian

Author: Simon Haughtone

Source: ezinearticles.com



Linlithgow is a town in West Lothian, Scotland. It is in the central lowlands and not far from Edinburgh. Linlithgow - West Lothian is the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots. There are the preserved ruins of the Royal Palace there. The population is a little over thirteen thousand.

Rich in history, Linlithgow is a great spot to visit for any day tripper from Edinburgh. One must see spot is the remains of the Linlithgow Palace. This is the birth place of James V and Mary Queen of Scots. In 1424, there was a great fire in the town. James I decided to rebuild the palace for Scotland royalty. His successors continued to add different architecture to the palace. In 1542, Mary Queen of Scots was born in the palace. She stayed there on occasion throughout her reign.

In 1745, Bonnie Price Charlie visited the palace. For the occasion, the fountain was filled and flowing with wine. In 1746, the palace was burned by the army of the Duke of Cumberland. Most of the furnishings did not survive. Today the Palace is a reminder of the days of old. It is a very interesting place to visit.

Another historically important place to visit in Linlithgow is St. Michael's Church. This church is one of the two largest serving West Lothian. The church was established in 1138. The town has a patron saint, St. Michael.

The church was actually built on the site of an older church. After a fire in 1424, most of the building had to be refurbished and now dates back to the fifteenth century. This church has been a favorite for many of Scottish royalty. Mary Queen of Scots was baptized in this church.

Linlithgow is a little town outside of Edinburgh. This town is a great place to visit and rich in history. A tourist can visit the Linlithgow, go today, Palace and St Michael's Church. Both locales were visited by Scottish royalty. Any traveler should put this town on their itinerary for these must sees.





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