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The Royal Crowns: Dunnottar Castle

In 1661 the Scottish regalia were conside considered to be in danger from the English, and were sent to Dunnottar Castle for safety. From 1707 until 1818 they were locked up in a strong chest in the crown-room of Edinburgh Castle, and Sir Walter Scott, in whose presence the box was opened, wrote an account of them in 1819. The crown consists of a fillet of gold bordered with flat wire. Upon it are twenty-two large stones, set at equal distances-i.e. nine carbuncles, four jacynths, four amethysts, two white topazes, two crystals with green foil behind them, and one topaz with yellow foil. Behind each of these gems is a gold plate, with bands above and below of white enamel with black spots, and between each stone is a pearl. Above the band are ten jewelled rosettes, and ten fleursde-lys alternately, and between each a pearl. Under the rosettes and fleurs-de-lys are jewels of blue enamel and pearls alternately. The arches have enamelled leaves of French work in red and gold upon them, and the mount at the top is of blue enamel, studded with gold stars. The cross at the top is black enamel, with gold arabesque patterns; in the centre is an amethyst, and in this cross and in the corners are Oriental pearls set in gold. At the back of the cross are the letters I. R. V.* in enamel work. On the velvet cap are four large pearls, in settings of CROWN. gold and enamel (Fig. 20).