by Wayfarer

Created on: December 06, 2008

THE MYTH AND MAJESTY OF THE EDINBURGH MILITARY TATTOO



Standing in a castle atop an extinct volcano is a surreal experience. Looking over the ramparts of Edinburgh Castle, it is almost disappointing not to see besieging hordes and giant war machines - instead of Princes Street, Edinburgh's busiest shopping thoroughfare.

It's a strange mixture of old and new but the castle effortlessly draws the visitor back to a world where history seems only yesterday and mythology was real. From the wooden fortress that once occupied the site, three hundred Goddodin, sons of the original Britons, rode forth against fifty four thousand Angles. Ancient poetry records that these men knew King Arthur. Malcolm Canmore, who slew Macbeth, lived there with Margaret, his Queen. Her chapel still stands within the castle.

When held by Edward I of England, the castle was a major thorn in Scotland's side. Despite changing hands many times, usually by politics or siege, Edinburgh Castle has only ever been taken by force twice in its long history, both times by Scottish armies.

Mary Queen of Scots, cousin of Elizabeth the First of England, gave birth there. Her son, James, would unite Scotland and England in 1603 when he became King.

These days, visitors to the castle pass between statues of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce. They seem to defy anyone not to be impressed by the nation they built.

Over the centuries Scottish soldiers have marched out the castle gates to every war the Empire ever fought. At the head of the line, more often than not, would be a piper. In desperate charges over trenches or in defiant stands against overwhelming forces the piper carried nothing but his bagpipes and the honour of the regiment, knowing the ordinary "Jock" would defend them with his claymore or his last bullet - unto his dying breath.

In eleventh century Holland, however, the regimental bands had a (slightly) more peaceful role to play. As soldiers will the whole world over, the off-duty Brits would find their way to the local hostelry and lose all track of time. At the end of each evening the pipes and drums would parade through the town and the soldiers were "encouraged" to join them for a brisk walk back to barracks. The sergeants would shout, "Doe den tap toe!" "Turn off the taps," in Dutch.

Tap Toe became Tattoo and military bands in Holland, Germany and Britain adopted the name. One Tattoo in particular would go on to fame beyond its borders. The bagpipes and drums which once led Scots

• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next Page >>