Scottish National War Memorial

The Scottish National War Memorial stands inside Edinburgh Castle, a fortress on Castle Rock that overlooks the city. It occupies a former barrack block in Crown Square, at the heart of the castle grounds. The building was redesigned by Robert Lorimer, a leading Scottish architect who also worked on the Thistle Chapel in St Giles’ Cathedral. Construction began after the First World War and the memorial opened in 1927. It contains many smaller monuments alongside the main shrine. The memorial honours nearly 135,000 Scots who died in the First World War and over 50,000 in the Second. Names include servicemen and women from Scottish regiments, the Merchant Navy, nursing services and civilians who died from enemy action or war-related causes. The Rolls of Honour also list those who served in later conflicts such as the Korean War, the Falklands War and operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The casket in the shrine holds the First World War names, while open panels display later additions. Inside, the building features carved stonework by Pilkington Jackson, John Marshall and Phyllis Bone, and stained-glass windows by Douglas Strachan. The shrine sits above a natural outcrop of Castle Rock, with regimental monuments lining the walls. The space is quiet and formal, designed to focus attention on remembrance. Outside, the castle’s battlements and views across Edinburgh remain unchanged.