Kirk o' Field
Encyclopedia
Kirk o' Field in Edinburgh
, Scotland
, is best known as the site of the murder in 1567 of Lord Darnley
, second husband of Mary, Queen of Scots.
The site was occupied by the collegiate church of St Mary in the Fields, or the Kirk
o' Field. It was approximately ten minutes' walk from Holyrood Palace
, just adjacent to the city wall, near to the Cowgate
. On his return to Edinburgh with Mary early in 1567, Darnley took residence in the Old Provost's lodging, a comfortable two storey house within the church quadrangle
.
Early in the morning of 10 February, the house was destroyed by a gunpowder
explosion while Mary was at Holyrood attending the wedding celebration of Bastian Pagez
. The partially clothed bodies of Darnley and his servant were found in a nearby orchard, apparently strangled but unharmed by the explosion. A contemporaneous drawing of the murder scene at Kirk o' Field illustrates at the top left the infant James VI
sitting up in his cot praying: "Judge and avenge my cause, O Lord"; in the centre lie the rubble remains of the house; to the right Darnley and his servant lie dead in the orchard; below, the townspeople of Edinburgh gather round and four soldiers remove a body for burial.
Suspicion immediately fell upon Mary and James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell
, one of her closest and most trusted Noblemen. Although Bothwell was considered to be the lead conspirator, he was subsequently found not guilty at trial by the Privy council of Scotland
in April, 1567. Mary married Bothwell the following month, just three months after Darnley's murder.
This led to great public disquiet and ultimately proved to be a major factor in her rapid decline in power and ultimate loss of the Scottish crown. Darnley's death remains one of the great unsolved historical mysteries, compounded by the discovery and controversy surrounding the "Casket Letters
" apparently incriminating Mary in the murder plot.
The lands at Kirk o' Field went on to be granted to the city specifically for the foundation of a new university. The University of Edinburgh
was founded by King James VI
in 1582, and the Kirk o' Field site has long been considered to be at the current location of the Old College
. Recent archaeological investigations following the Cowgate fire of 2002 have raised some questions about the exact location of the house.
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, is best known as the site of the murder in 1567 of Lord Darnley
Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley
Henry Stewart or Stuart, 1st Duke of Albany , styled Lord Darnley before 1565, was king consort of Scotland and murdered at Kirk o'Field...
, second husband of Mary, Queen of Scots.
The site was occupied by the collegiate church of St Mary in the Fields, or the Kirk
Kirk
Kirk can mean "church" in general or the Church of Scotland in particular. Many place names and personal names are also derived from it.-Basic meaning and etymology:...
o' Field. It was approximately ten minutes' walk from Holyrood Palace
Holyrood Palace
The Palace of Holyroodhouse, commonly referred to as Holyrood Palace, is the official residence of the monarch in Scotland. The palace stands at the bottom of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, at the opposite end to Edinburgh Castle...
, just adjacent to the city wall, near to the Cowgate
Cowgate
The Cowgate is a street in Edinburgh, Scotland, located about 5 minutes' walk from Edinburgh Castle, within the city's World Heritage Site. The street's name is derived from the fact that cows were herded down it for Edinburgh's market days in previous centuries .The street is part of the lower...
. On his return to Edinburgh with Mary early in 1567, Darnley took residence in the Old Provost's lodging, a comfortable two storey house within the church quadrangle
Quadrangle (architecture)
In architecture, a quadrangle is a space or courtyard, usually rectangular in plan, the sides of which are entirely or mainly occupied by parts of a large building. The word is probably most closely associated with college or university campus architecture, but quadrangles may be found in other...
.
Early in the morning of 10 February, the house was destroyed by a gunpowder
Gunpowder
Gunpowder, also known since in the late 19th century as black powder, was the first chemical explosive and the only one known until the mid 1800s. It is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate - with the sulfur and charcoal acting as fuels, while the saltpeter works as an oxidizer...
explosion while Mary was at Holyrood attending the wedding celebration of Bastian Pagez
Bastian Pagez
Bastian Pagez was a French servant and musician at the court of Mary, Queen of Scots. He devised part of the entertainment at the baptism of Prince James at Stirling Castle in 1566. When Mary was exiled in England, Bastian and his family continued in her service...
. The partially clothed bodies of Darnley and his servant were found in a nearby orchard, apparently strangled but unharmed by the explosion. A contemporaneous drawing of the murder scene at Kirk o' Field illustrates at the top left the infant James VI
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
sitting up in his cot praying: "Judge and avenge my cause, O Lord"; in the centre lie the rubble remains of the house; to the right Darnley and his servant lie dead in the orchard; below, the townspeople of Edinburgh gather round and four soldiers remove a body for burial.
Suspicion immediately fell upon Mary and James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell
James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell
James Hepburn, 1st Duke of Orkney , better known by his inherited title as 4th Earl of Bothwell, was hereditary Lord High Admiral of Scotland. He is best known for his association with and subsequent marriage to Mary, Queen of Scots, as her third husband...
, one of her closest and most trusted Noblemen. Although Bothwell was considered to be the lead conspirator, he was subsequently found not guilty at trial by the Privy council of Scotland
Privy Council of Scotland
The Privy Council of Scotland was a body that advised the King.In the range of its functions the council was often more important than the Estates in the running the country. Its registers include a wide range of material on the political, administrative, economic and social affairs of Scotland...
in April, 1567. Mary married Bothwell the following month, just three months after Darnley's murder.
This led to great public disquiet and ultimately proved to be a major factor in her rapid decline in power and ultimate loss of the Scottish crown. Darnley's death remains one of the great unsolved historical mysteries, compounded by the discovery and controversy surrounding the "Casket Letters
Casket letters
Casket Letters is the name generally given to a group of eight letters and a sequence of irregular sonnets said to have been addressed by Mary, Queen of Scots, to the Earl of Bothwell, between January and April 1566 or 1567. If authentic throughout, they would provide definite proof of Mary's...
" apparently incriminating Mary in the murder plot.
The lands at Kirk o' Field went on to be granted to the city specifically for the foundation of a new university. The University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
was founded by King James VI
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
in 1582, and the Kirk o' Field site has long been considered to be at the current location of the Old College
Old College, University of Edinburgh
Old College is a building of the University of Edinburgh. It is located on South Bridge, and presently houses parts of the University's administration, the University of Edinburgh School of Law, and the Talbot Rice Gallery...
. Recent archaeological investigations following the Cowgate fire of 2002 have raised some questions about the exact location of the house.