Town in The Lothians, Scotland

Linlithgow

Mary, Queen of Scots was born in Linlithgow Palace in 1542, and the town still marks her with a pageant, a loch-side ruin and a famously odd fish-and-bridge tale.

Key information

County: The Lothians
Nation: Scotland
Population: about 13,000 (2011 Census)
Known for: Linlithgow Palace, birthplace of Mary, Queen of Scots; the Marches; the Union Canal
What locals are called: Black Bitches (traditional nickname)
Famous people: Mary, Queen of Scots; James V; Tam Dalyell; Ian Mitchell

About Linlithgow

The palace where a queen was born

Linlithgow's great claim to fame arrived on 8 December 1542, when Mary, Queen of Scots was born in the royal palace above the loch. Her father, James V, lay dying after the defeat at Solway Moss, and within days she was queen of Scotland. She was six days old. The palace was already a favourite royal residence. James I began building it in the early 1400s after a fire, and later kings, especially James IV and James V, turned it into a Renaissance showpiece with a grand quadrangle and an ornate fountain in the courtyard. James VI took his court south in 1603, and Linlithgow's royal days faded. In 1746 the palace burned down, and it has stood roofless ever since. Even as a shell, it dominates the town, its walls rising sheer from the water.

A church with a crown on its tower

Right beside the palace stands St Michael's Parish Church, one of Scotland's largest medieval parish churches. An earlier church was consecrated in 1242, but the present building largely dates from the rebuilding after the fire of 1424, completed in 1532. For centuries its tower was topped with a stone crown, a lovely nod to the royal neighbour. The modern spire is a distinctive aluminium structure added in 1964. People have argued about it ever since, but it certainly gets noticed on the skyline. The church carries its own royal stories. James IV is said to have been warned here of the danger of fighting the English before Flodden in 1513. He ignored the warning and was killed on the battlefield.

Why locals are called Black Bitches

The people of Linlithgow are traditionally nicknamed the Black Bitches, and the town's coat of arms shows a black dog tied to a tree beside the loch. The legend tells of a man condemned to starve on an island in Linlithgow Loch. His faithful black dog swam across with food for him. When this was discovered, the dog was chained up and left to starve too. An older rhyme also nods to the town's other emblems: the Cross Well, which is said to have flowed with wine on special occasions, and the town's long civic pride. The Cross Well, a splendid stone fountain in the High Street, was rebuilt in the 1800s as a copy of an earlier one dating from 1628. The dog and the loch are still everywhere in Linlithgow's imagery, from signs to local clubs.

Riding the Marches

Every June the town holds the Linlithgow Marches, one of the best-known riding of the marches events in the Lothians, in which townspeople ride the boundaries of the burgh, a tradition that has deep roots in medieval times. The week includes a procession, flags and a ceremonial figurehead called My Lord Provost, accompanied by bailies. The Deacon Convener is a separate office, heading the Deacons Court, which organises the event. The town also keeps up the Linlithgow Fair, with the Ride of the Marches echoing older customs. Flower-decked floats, bands and horse-riders turn the High Street into a parade route. For locals, being asked to take part is a source of pride, and families often take part across generations.

Canal, loch and railway

Linlithgow Loch is a haven for swans and other waterbirds, and the walk around it gives the best views of the palace reflected on still days. The Union Canal passes through the town, too. Opened in 1822, it linked Edinburgh with the Forth and Clyde Canal at Falkirk, and today the Linlithgow Union Canal Society runs boat trips and a small museum at the canal basin. The railway came in 1842 with the Edinburgh and Glasgow line, and the town's station is still on one of Scotland's busiest routes, which makes Linlithgow a popular commuter base for both cities.

Famous faces and football

The town produced Tam Dalyell, the long-serving MP who lived at The Binns, a historic house nearby. He became famous for asking awkward questions in Parliament, most notably about the sinking of the Belgrano in 1982. On the sporting side, Linlithgow Rose is the local football club, a successful junior side that moved up to the senior pyramid and has played in the East of Scotland League. The club has a loyal following, and its Prestonfield ground is a fixture of local life. Linlithgow also has a long tradition of brewing and tanning, and a local gift for celebrating a party. Between the palace, the loch and a fiercely proud community, it is a town that wears its royal past lightly but never forgets it.