The abbey had royal chambers which were preferred by the country's monarchs to the nearby Edinburgh Castle, a royal residence at the time. The building that we now know as Holyrood Palace was ...

Holyrood was the last survivor, sheltering debtors until well into the 19th century. In the grounds of the church or the abbey, you could claim ‘girth’, an Old English term meaning ‘immunity ...

The Abbey Strand buildings have served many purposes over the centuries. In 1541 James V of Scotland (1512-1542) used them to store 3,500 pikes and 500 halberds (two-handed pole weapons) during ...

More than 6,000 people claimed refuge within the Abbey sanctuary, which included Abbey Strand, travelling from as far afield as Bohemia, the USA and the West Indies.