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Blackness castle

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Cenni storici.

Dal sito scotlandthemovie.com:

«Blackness Castle is in the care of Historic Scotland and there is an admission charge although you can walk around the outside for free. However it's worth paying the modest entry charge to look over the inside of the castle, walk the battlements and scale the towers from which there are excellent views of the River Forth. It was built shortly after 1440 by Sir George Crichton who was the Earl of Caithness and Sheriff of nearby Linlithgow. In 1453 King James II seized the lands of Sir George Crichton and Blackness Castle became Crown property and was used for over 250 years as state prison. Between 1537 and 1543 major building work took place at the castle when the south and east walls were remodelled to withstand artillery. The castle was besieged by Oliver Cromwell's army in 1660, suffered land and sea bombardment, and was left in ruins following it's surrender by the defending garrison. The Castle was restored in the late 1660's and continued to be manned by a garrison of around 20 soldiers. The Castle again became a prison during the wars with France between 1759 and 1815. In 1870 it became the central ammunition depot for Scotland until 1912 when it was scheduled as an ancient monument. The castle is now in good condition following a major rebuilding program between 1926 and 1935. Blackness Castle is open all year round but is closed on Thursday afternoons and all day Friday during in the winter months. Opening times are listed on the Historic Scotland site below.

 ... Blackness Castle near Edinburgh was used for both internal and external scenes set in Elsinore Castle in the Franco Zeffirelli version of Hamlet. The location used for Ophelia's first appearance in the movie is the large hall in the Stern tower. Also appearing in the movie is the entrance to this tower, the adjacent courtyard and the nearby battlements of the castle. The large interior rooms seen in Hamlet were sets built at Shepperton Studios in England».

Dal sito caledoniancastles.co.uk:  

«Jutting out into the Firth of Forth, protecting the one time seaport of Linlithgow. The present building was begun in the 15th century. an oblong keep with round stair tower at the north-east angle. In 1537 the walls of the keep were thickened and gun emplacements were built. Cromwell besieged and damaged the castle, Charles II later it had repaired. The keep was then used as a prison, providing comfortable confinement for distinguished covenanters, and...».

Dal sito castlepictures.com:  

«The castle is long and narrow because of the shape of the rock on which it is situated and it is sometimes called ' the ship that never sailed '. It guards the bay at Blackness and is only a few miles from Linlithgow Palace. The first castle was built in the middle of the 15th century by Sir George Crichton, Earl of Caithness, a member of one of the most powerful families in Scotland. King James II acquired Blackness in 1453 when...».