Malcolm's Tower, also known as Malcolm Canmore's Tower, is a historic site in the Scottish city of Dunfermline, Fife. It consists of the foundations of a rubble built, rectangular tower enclosed by an oval shaped modern wall and is protected as a scheduled monument.[1] It is located in Pittencrieff Park.[2]
Approach to the TowerRuins of the Tower
The tower stood on a highly defensible peninsular outcrop of rock above a deep ravine and is the site from which the city derives its name. It was effectively the seat of royal power in Scotland after Malcolm III of Scotland shifted the centre of government from Forteviot to Dunfermline in the mid 11th century. The site was also close to a religious centre which had begun as a Culdee establishment in the 9th century. The first mention of the tower in the historical record is from 1070 when Malcolm III married his queen, Princess Margaret. As queen, Margaret introduced innovations which changed the course and identity of the Church in Scotland. Not far to the east of the tower's location are the remains of Dunfermline Abbey and later royal palace.
All that survives of the tower today are foundational fragments of wall, but an image of the building was adopted at an early date as the burgh arms for Dunfermline. Old wax seals suggest it to have been a building of two storeys with an attic. It might have contained around twenty small apartments. Before the western access road to Dunfermline was built, Malcolm's Tower would have been an almost impregnable fortress, perhaps rather like a broch, and this almost certainly explains Dunfermline's motto Esto rupes inaccessa (Be an inaccessible rock).[3]
malcolm, tower, also, known, malcolm, canmore, tower, historic, site, scottish, city, dunfermline, fife, consists, foundations, rubble, built, rectangular, tower, enclosed, oval, shaped, modern, wall, protected, scheduled, monument, located, pittencrieff, park. Malcolm s Tower also known as Malcolm Canmore s Tower is a historic site in the Scottish city of Dunfermline Fife It consists of the foundations of a rubble built rectangular tower enclosed by an oval shaped modern wall and is protected as a scheduled monument 1 It is located in Pittencrieff Park 2 Approach to the Tower Ruins of the Tower The tower stood on a highly defensible peninsular outcrop of rock above a deep ravine and is the site from which the city derives its name It was effectively the seat of royal power in Scotland after Malcolm III of Scotland shifted the centre of government from Forteviot to Dunfermline in the mid 11th century The site was also close to a religious centre which had begun as a Culdee establishment in the 9th century The first mention of the tower in the historical record is from 1070 when Malcolm III married his queen Princess Margaret As queen Margaret introduced innovations which changed the course and identity of the Church in Scotland Not far to the east of the tower s location are the remains of Dunfermline Abbey and later royal palace All that survives of the tower today are foundational fragments of wall but an image of the building was adopted at an early date as the burgh arms for Dunfermline Old wax seals suggest it to have been a building of two storeys with an attic It might have contained around twenty small apartments Before the western access road to Dunfermline was built Malcolm s Tower would have been an almost impregnable fortress perhaps rather like a broch and this almost certainly explains Dunfermline s motto Esto rupes inaccessa Be an inaccessible rock 3 The opening lines of the traditional Ballad of Sir Patrick Spens are thought to refer to the tower The King sits in Dunfermling Toun Drynking the bluid red wyne 4 References edit Historic Environment Scotland Malcolm Canmore s Tower SM5287 Retrieved 16 April 2019 Dunfermline Pittencrieff Park Malcolm Canmore s Tower Canmore canmore org uk Retrieved 30 November 2021 Dunfermline The Fife Post Retrieved 22 April 2012 The Ballad of Sir Patrick SpensExternal links editThe Annals of Dunfermline 1096 1745 56 04 12 N 3 28 01 W 56 0699 N 3 4670 W 56 0699 3 4670 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Malcolm 27s Tower amp oldid 1145116865, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
