Hundreds of years of history to descend on Blackness Castle for Siege on the Forth

The popular ‘Siege on the Forth’ event will be returning to Blackness Castle on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th September. The iconic historical site, also known as the ‘ship that never sailed’, will host a weekend of activities for visitors to enjoy.

There will be living history performers from across the ages, including Medieval and Napoleonic encampments, plus exhilarating arena shows featuring musketry performances. There will also be the chance for visitors to uncover more about their own family histories, thanks to the World War One encampment where family photographs can be brought in for reenactors to identify early 20th century military regiments.

There will be interactive activities for all ages, such as the ever-popular Kids Army for the little ones and stone masons offering a ‘have a go’ stonemasonry activity. Glasgow Science Centre will also be putting on their Castles Rock show, and the Historic Scotland Rangers will once again be offering bird watching from the battlements.

Gillian Urquhart, Visitor Events Manager at Historic Environment Scotland, said:

“Blackness Castle is one of Scotland's most impressive strongholds, with spectacular views across to the Fife coast and Forth bridges. The site has served as an artillery fortress, royal castle, prison and armaments depot, and more recently as a backdrop for the TV series Outlander.

Our Siege on the Forth event gives visitors the chance to delve deeper into the history of this iconic site and we look forward to welcoming everyone across the weekend to discover more about the rich history of ship that never sailed!

'Siege on the Forth’ will take place at Blackness Castle from 12 noon to 4pm on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 September.

We're the lead body for Scotland’s historic environment, a charity dedicated to the advancement of heritage, culture, education and environmental protection. We are at the forefront of researching and understanding the historic environment and addressing the impacts of climate change on its future. Across Scotland, we investigate and record architectural and archaeological sites and landscapes and care for more than 300 properties of national importance. HES is also working with sector partners to deliver Scotland's strategy for the historic environment, Our Past, Our Future.

Historic Scotland, trove.scot, The National Collection of Aerial Photography (NCAP), The Engine Shed, Stirling Castle, Edinburgh Castle and Stòr are sub-brands of HES.

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