Scottish National War Memorial
{{Short description|Monument in Edinburgh Castle}}
{{Distinguish|National Monument of Scotland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2017}}
{{Use Scottish English|date=May 2017}}
File:Edinburgh Castle, Scottish National War Memorial rear.jpg
File:Façade of the Scottish National War Memorial, Edinburgh Castle, Scotland, UK.jpg
The Scottish National War Memorial is located in Edinburgh Castle and commemorates Scottish service personnel and civilians, and those serving with Scottish regiments, who died in the two world wars and subsequent conflicts. Its chief architect was Robert Lorimer, commissioned in 1919, and the monument was formally opened in 1927.{{Cite web |title=History |url=https://www.snwm.org/about-history |access-date=2020-12-21 |website=Scottish National War Memorial |language=en}} It is housed in a redeveloped barrack block in Crown Square, at the heart of the castle, and incorporates numerous monuments.
The Rolls of Honour kept in the memorial include the names of those Scots servicemen and women and Scots civilians that died in all wars after 1914.{{Cite web |title=FAQ |url=https://www.snwm.org/about-faq/ |access-date=2020-12-21 |website=Scottish National War Memorial |language=en}} This includes all Scots who were killed as a result of enemy action or who died as a result of wounds, diseases, or injuries while serving in the British Armed Forces, the Merchant Navy, the armed forces of the Dominions, the women's services, and the nursing services, together with all members of Scottish regiments. The Rolls of Honour include those who died between 4 August 1914 and 31 August 1921 as having died in the First World War and those between 3 September 1939 and 31 December 1947 as having died in the Second World War. Those not serving in the Scottish regiments must either have been born in Scotland or have at least one parent born in the country.
The memorial rolls list close to 135,000 casualties of the First World War and over 50,000 of the Second World War. More casualties from later wars are also inscribed, including from the Malayan Emergency, the Korean War (1950–1953), Operation Banner (1969–2007) during The Troubles, the Falklands War (1982), and the Gulf War (1990–1991). Most recently casualties from Iraq and Afghanistan have been added to the Rolls of Honour.
File:Casket, Scottish National War Memorial, Edinburgh Castle.JPG
File:Soldier, Edinburgh Castle - geograph.org.uk - 670531.jpg and the heraldic lion from the royal arms with its Union Jack shield by Phyllis Bone]]
Development
Proposals for a Scottish National War Memorial were put forward in 1917, during the First World War, by John Stewart-Murray, 8th Duke of Atholl, and Captain George Swinton of Kimmerghame. Sir Robert Lorimer, the architect of the Order of the Thistle's Thistle Chapel in St Giles' Cathedral and one of the architects involved in the Imperial War Graves Commission,Hussey, 1931; Dictionary of National Biography, 1937 was appointed in 1919, but opposition to a large-scale monument arose from the Cockburn Association and others concerned with the castle's heritage. A more modest scheme to remodel the North Barrack Block was finally agreed in 1923, and the memorial was formally opened on 14 July 1927 by the Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII).{{cite web |url=http://www.snwm.org/website/history/index.html#A1 |title=History of the Scottish National War Memorial |publisher=Scottish National War Memorial |author=Henderson, Diana M |accessdate=2011-03-19 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718210109/http://www.snwm.org/website/history/index.html#A1 |archivedate=18 July 2011 |df=dmy-all}} After the Second World War, 50,000 names were added to the rolls of honour. Names continue to be added from successive conflicts, though the memorial itself has been left unchanged.
The Memorial
The exterior of the building is decorated with gargoyles and sculpture by Pilkington Jackson, John Marshall{{cite web |url=http://www.glasgowsculpture.com/pg_biography.php?sub=marshall_j |title=John Marshall (1888–1952) |publisher=Glasgow Sculpture |accessdate=22 June 2018}} and Phyllis Bone,{{cite web |url=http://www.nhc.ed.ac.uk/index.php?page=22 |title=Phyllis Bone's Sculptures |publisher=The University of Edinburgh |work=The Natural History Collections |accessdate=16 November 2017}} whilst the interior contains elaborate wall monuments commemorating individual regiments. The stained-glass windows are by Douglas Strachan.McWilliam et al, pp. 99–100 The original aim behind the Memorial was to commemorate Scots and those serving with Scottish regiments who had died in the First World War, from the declaration of war on 4 August 1914 to the Treaty of Versailles of 28 June 1919 (confirmed military suicides and those tried and executed excepted). Upon the altar within the Shrine, placed on the highest part of the Castle Rock emerging through the floor, stands a sealed casket containing the Rolls of Honour listing over 147,000 names of those soldiers killed in the First World War together with open lists within the Hall.{{cite web |url=http://www.ukniwm.org.uk/server/show/conMemorial.2002 |title=Scottish National War Memorial |work=UK National Inventory of War Memorials |accessdate=2011-05-03 |archive-date=5 July 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080705195806/http://www.ukniwm.org.uk/server/show/conMemorial.2002 |url-status=dead }} After the Second World War the limiting dates were modified, with another 50,000 names inscribed on the Rolls of Honour within the Hall, and with further names continuing to be added there.
The memorial is maintained by a charitable trust known as the Scottish National War Memorial.{{cite web |url=http://www.oscr.org.uk/search-charity-register/charity-extract/?charitynumber=SC009869 |title=Scottish National War Memorial, SC009869 |work=Scottish Charity Register |publisher=Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator |accessdate=2011-07-25}}
Gallery
File:Plan of the Scottish National War Memorial.png|Plan
File:Edinburgh Castle (42003194414).jpg|'Courage' by Alexander Carrick
File:Edinburgh Castle (16753921186).jpg|The apse
File:Edinburgh Castle (42720939901).jpg|Gargoyle
File:Edinburgh Castle (42003194634).jpg|Heraldic unicorn with a St Andrew's cross flag and a thistle finial
File:Edinburgh Castle (41821318355).jpg|Memorial to the Royal Air Force in a laurel wreath by Pilkington Jackson
File:Edinburgh Castle (14790402902).jpg|The western façade with 'Freedom' by Percy Portsmouth and niche capitals Phyllis Bone
File:EdinburghSNWM.JPG|Scottish National War Memorial from the north, showing the shrine. The niche statue is 'Truth' by Alice Meredith-Williams and niche capitals by Phyllis Bone.
File:Unicorn Outside the Scottish National War Memorial (6271810448).jpg|Unicorn from the royal arms, with a shield bearing a St Andrew's cross by Phyllis Bone
File:Rain Spout (4945899313).jpg|Gargoyle and the lion with the flag of England from the royal arms
File:Scottish National War Memorial - Stierch.jpg|Rib vaulting
File:Edinburgh Castle (28847473998).jpg|The apse interior
File:Edinburgh Castle (40910775770).jpg|"Their name liveth for evermore"
File:Edinburgh Castle (42720943491).jpg|Military badge of the Lovat Scouts and the crest from the royal arms
File:Edinburgh Castle (28847474708).jpg|Hall with naval ensigns and military colours
References
{{reflist}}
Sources
- {{cite book |author1=McWilliam, Colin |author2=Gifford, John |author3=Walker, David |year=1984 |publisher=Penguin |title=Edinburgh |series=The Buildings of Scotland |isbn=9780140710687 |authorlink1=Colin McWilliam}}
External links
- {{Commons category-inline}}
- [http://www.snwm.org Scottish National War Memorial website]
{{Buildings and Structures in Edinburgh|state=collapsed}}
{{Monuments in Edinburgh}}
{{Authority control}}
{{coord|55.9485|N|3.1997|W|region:GB|display=title}}
Category:1927 establishments in Scotland
Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1927
Category:Category A listed buildings in Edinburgh
Category:World War I memorials in Scotland
Category:World War II memorials in Scotland