Saint Margaret’s Chapel

Edinburgh, Scotland

The oldest building in Edinburgh stands at its highest point and is a chapel dedicated to Queen Margaret, the only member of Scottish royalty to have been granted sainthood. Margaret’s story is interesting, as she was born in modern-day Hungary, the daughter of an exiled Prince Edward, who had a claim to the throne but died within a few days of landing in England. Margaret, with her remaining family, fled north to Northumbria and later to Scotland, where she married King Malcolm III, the king who helped unify the country of Alba, which would eventually become the Kingdom of Scotland. Malcolm III later served as an inspiration for the character of Malcolm in Shakespeare’s Macbeth.

In her lifetime, Margaret was considered extremely pious and lived fully devoted to her faith. She also raised her eight children, three of whom became Kings of Scotland, and her daughter Matilda, who became Queen Consort of England as the wife of King Henry I. According to signage at the castle, the greatest miracle attributed to Margaret was that her gospel book was dropped into a river. Still, when a soldier retrieved it, it was completely dry. Margaret passed away only about four days after Malcolm III in 1093.

The Saint Margaret’s Chapel was constructed in 1130 by Margaret’s youngest son, King David I of Scotland. The building survived for almost a millennium, including many sieges of the castle. Robert the Bruce spared the chapel in 1314 when the castle was captured from the English. The chapel survived the Protestant Reformation and was used as a Gunpowder storeroom. The chapel was eventually restored during the reign of Queen Victoria.

The chapel itself is small, but still functions as a practicing church. The chapel is a popular place for people to conduct weddings. The castle will seat about 20 people, so it is perfect for someone who wants to get married, but not in the summer and not with a lot of people. 

Decorating the chapel are the modern stain glass windows that feature St. Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland; St. Ninian, a Briton who became a Bishop while on a pilgrimage to Rome in the late 4th and early 5th century, St. Margaret, the namesake of the chapel, St. Columba, the Irishman that brought Christianity to Scotland, and William Wallace, the Protector of Scotland and hero of the Battle of Stirling Bridge. The chapel also keeps a facsimile of St. Margaret’s gospel.

Because the chapel is located in Edinburgh Castle, you would need entry to the castle to be able to visit. The chapel is rather small, so you may need to queue to go in and see what is available. Also, be sure to duck going in and out of the front door of the chapel, as many older door frames are smaller. It is surreal to think that people have been worshiping in this chapel for almost 1,000 years. I’ve been fortunate to visit many churches, and sometimes the small ones, like Saint Margaret’s Chapel, are just as impressive as large cathedrals. When in Edinburgh Castle, take a few moments to stop and reflect on the life of Saint Margaret. Also, if you ever decide to get married in the chapel, I would love an invitation.