Scottish Castles Association

The new image of how the biggest cannon of its day, Mons Meg, would have looked.

The History of Edinburgh Castle has been rewritten after months of research by archaeologists and historians - dispelling some popular myths about the fortress.

Historic Scotland has installed new illustrated panels and stories at the country's most popular visitor attraction using the findings of more than 30 specialists.

Experts from the National Museum of Scotland, the Royal artillery Museum and Edinburgh, Glasgow and St. Andrews Universities studied documents and pictures over seven months in a £40,000 project to produce the new resources.

One of the most striking findings is that the giant Mons Meg cannon - a gift to King James II from the Duke of Burgundy in 1457 was originally painted red.

Mons Meg, as it looks today

The new panels also include the arrival of the Romans at the hill fort that pre-dated the castle, revealing that it was an important centre from very early times, and the recapture by Robert the Bruce's army in a night attack in 1314.

Historic Scotland's tourism director, Stephen Duncan, said: "The new interpretations offer a surprising amount of detail. In some cases, the content might alter preconceptions, often contradicting popular myths.

'Each reconstruction focuses on a key episode in the history of the castle. We have made them as accurate as possible, but in cases where expect opinion was divided or the evidence ambiguous, they inevitably involve speculation.'

Seven new panoramic illustrations showing views of edinburgh through the centuries have also been installed.

Source: Daily Mail, Tuesday, July 24, 2012