The Story Behind the Walls: A History of the Great Hall Panelling at Edinburgh Castle
- Andrew Pedder
- Feb 19
- 3 min read
During a recent trip to historic Edinburgh, I had the opportunity to personally explore some amazing paneled interiors. In the first of several short articles, I delve into the history of some paneling I found at Edinburgh Castle.
When visitors step into the Great Hall of Edinburgh Castle, their eyes are naturally drawn upward to the magnificent hammerbeam roof—one of the finest surviving examples of medieval timber engineering in Scotland. Yet the walls beneath that soaring structure tell a quieter, equally compelling story. The panelling that lines the Great Hall today reflects centuries of change, adaptation, and revival, mirroring the castle’s own turbulent history.
A Medieval Hall Built for Majesty
The Great Hall was constructed in the early 16th century during the reign of James IV, a king known for his patronage of Renaissance ideas and architectural refinement. Completed around 1512, the hall served as a ceremonial and political heart of the royal castle, hosting parliamentary meetings and grand gatherings before the Scottish Parliament moved to its new home in 1640.
While the hammerbeam roof from this period survives—its carved stone corbels decorated with Renaissance-inspired motifs—the wall surfaces would originally have been far simpler than the elaborate panelling seen today. Medieval great halls typically featured plastered or limewashed walls, sometimes hung with tapestries for warmth and display. The decorative wooden panelling now associated with the space is a later addition, shaped by centuries of changing use.
From Royal Splendour to Military Barracks
The mid‑17th century brought dramatic change. After Oliver Cromwell captured the castle in 1650, the Great Hall was converted into soldiers’ barracks. Timber bed-galleries were installed around the walls, fundamentally altering the interior.
By 1737, the hall had been permanently fitted out for military accommodation, with multiple floors inserted into the space. From 1800 to 1887, it even served as the castle’s military hospital. These utilitarian transformations meant that any surviving medieval wall finishes were lost or obscured. The hall’s original grandeur was effectively buried beneath layers of practical but inelegant construction.
Victorian Restoration and the Birth of the Present Panelling
The wall panelling that visitors see today owes its existence to the sweeping 19th‑century restoration movement. As Edinburgh Castle’s importance as a national symbol grew, efforts intensified to return key interiors to something resembling their medieval character. The Great Hall was a prime candidate.
By the late 1800s, the military installations were removed, and the hall was restored as a ceremonial space. Photographs from 1892 show the newly installed wood panelling with intricate fretwork and carved details, designed to evoke a romanticised vision of Scotland’s medieval past.
This panelling was not a reconstruction of a known original scheme—no medieval panelling survived—but rather a historically inspired creation typical of the Victorian Gothic Revival. The Victorian restoration of the interior was overseen by the Scottish architect Hippolyte Blanc. Its purpose was symbolic: to restore dignity, warmth, and craftsmanship to a hall that had endured centuries of hard service.
A Hall Reborn for Ceremony and State
Since its restoration, the Great Hall has once again become a venue for state occasions, military ceremonies, and public events. The panelling contributes significantly to the hall’s atmosphere, complementing the hammerbeam roof and helping to frame the impressive display of arms that now adorns the walls.
Today, the panelling stands as a testament not only to medieval architectural ideals but also to Victorian heritage preservation. It reflects the layered history of Edinburgh Castle itself—a fortress, a palace, a barracks, and finally a national monument.
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