Blackness
Castle

Blackness
Castle at Falkirk, stands on the tip of a headland jutting
out into the Forth and was designed, in 1440, to protect
the port of Blackness and the hinterland of Linlithgow . A
former castle home it was strengthened and turned into a
military fortification by Sir James Hamilton of Finnart in
the 15th century in a response to the growing use of
artillery. A dour looking place it became home for many of
the Covenanters. Being conveniently placed near to both
Glasgow and Edinburgh it was used as a staging post for
prisoners between appearances at the various Courts. In
the earlier days of the Kirk`s struggle it was used for
short term imprisonments and many a minister spent weeks
incarcerated there for what were very minor offences eg
baptising their own child.

Most of the
ministers found themselves confined in assorted Tolbooths
at some stage and certainly if remitted to Edinburgh to
appear before the Court of High Commission on some, often
specious, charge. An early resident of Blackness was David
Lindsay, minister at Leith, who was incarcerated for
objecting to the manipulation of votes in the Parliament
that passed the Black Acts in 1584. John Welch, who
supported the Aberdeen Assembly of 1605, was sent to the
Edinburgh Tolbooth, then to Blackness Castle and
ultimately banished to France. John Hamilton, Lord Bargany
was thought to be a sympathiser with seditious tendencies
whereas he was possibly too free with his opinions. He was
imprisoned in Blackness without trial on perjured evidence
possibly by persons with eyes upon his estate. He was
bailed in June 1680 and later provided a regiment for the
public service and King William.

Bass Rock

Dunnottar Castle

Greyfriars Kirk Yard