The governor of Edinburgh Castle, also sometimes known as the keeper or captain, had overall control of the royal castle of Edinburgh, Scotland. The governor was usually assisted by a deputy-governor and a constable, the latter being under the command of the Lord High Constable of Scotland.

The governor had lodgings within the castle, with a governor's house being built in 1742. Although the post was never formally abolished, governors ceased to be appointed after the death in 1876 of Henry Dundas, 3rd Viscount Melville.

The office was revived in 1936 as an honorary title for the general officer commanding of Scottish Command. However, since 2015, this is no longer the case, with General Officer, Scotland and Governor of Edinburgh Castle being two separate appointments.

Governors of Edinburgh Castle

After 1067 (d. 1121): Bartolf LeslieWay, George and Squire, Romily. Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia. (Foreword by The Rt Hon. The Earl of Elgin KT, Convenor, The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs). Published in 1994. Pages 194 – 195. 1107–?: Thomas de CanciaGrant, Memorials of the Castle of Edinburgh, p. 280 1153–1165: Geoffrey de Melville 1165–1214: Reginald 1171–1177: Rodbert 1230–1231: Philip de Mowbray, Constable 1251–?: Walter Comyn, Earl of Menteith (died 1258)Gray, p.29 Dates unknown William, Constable 1263–?: William de Lysuris 1278–1292: William de Kinghorn Dates unknown William Clerk The castle was in English hands from 1291 to 1314, during the Wars of Scottish Independence. 1291–1296: Sir Ralph Basset de Drayton, English governor Gray, p. 31 1296–1298: Sir Walter de Huntercombe, English governor 1298–?: Sir John de Kingston, English governor - Captain and Constable 1300–?: William de Rue, English governor 1310–1314: Sir Piers de Lombard, English governor (from Gascony)Gray, p. 29

Following the Castle's recapture by the Scots under Thomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Moray in 1314, it was slighted and unused until the English returned in 1333. 1334–?: Sir John de Kingston, English governor 1336–?: Sir John Strivelyne, English governor 1337–?: Thomas Kynton, English captain and marshal, assassinated 1340–1341: Sir Thomas de Rokeby, English governor

The castle was again recaptured by the Scots under Sir William Douglas in 1341. ... 1346: Sir David Lindsay, 6th Lord of Crawford Paul, vol.3: p.10 1350–?: Sir Robert Erskine of Alva 1360–?: John MacDonald, Lord of the IslesPaul, vol.5: p.38 1360(?)–1364: Archibald the Grim ... c.1375–1382 Sir John LyonBalfour Paul, vol VIII, p.263 ... c.1400: David Stewart, Duke of Rothesay ... 1420: Sir William Borthwick 'the younger', 2nd of Borthwick 1425–1433: Sir Robert de Lawedre [Lauder] of The Bass, Knt. 1434–1445: Sir William Crichton, Knt.Cockayne, G.E., edited by the Hon. Vicary Gibbs & H. Arthur Doubleday, The Complete Peerage, vol.iii, London, 1913, p.537-8 & notes. 1447: Patrick Cockburn of Clerkington, Haddingtonshire.Cockburn-Hood, Thomas H.,The House of Cockburn of that Ilk and Cadets Thereof, Edinburgh, 1888, pps:257-9. 1453-1459: Thomas Oliphant The Red Book of Perthshire, by Gordon MacGregor 1460: Sir John Cockburn, Knight of Ormiston 1466: Sir Alexander Boyd Paul, vol.2: p.95 ... 1488–?: Patrick Hepburn, 1st Earl of BothwellGray, p.34 ... c.1515–after 1524: James Hamilton, 1st Earl of ArranGray, p.35 ... 1544–1548: James Hamilton of StenhouseAnderson, pp383-384 1548–1554 William Hamilton of Sanquhar.James Balfour Paul, Accounts of the Lord High Treasurer of Scotland: 1546-1551, vol. 9, (Edinburgh, 1911), p. 433. c.1559 – 19 March 1566: John Erskine, 6th Lord ErskinePaul, vol.5: pp.612–615 1566–1567:James Cockburn of SkirlingGray, p.36 1567–1568:Sir James Balfour of Pittendreich 1568–1573: Sir William Kirkcaldy of Grange, defended the castle for Mary, Queen of Scots, during the "Lang Siege"Gray, p.38 1574–?: George Douglas of ParkheadGray, p.47 28 March 1579 – ?: Sir Alexander Erskine of GogarPaul, vol. 5: pp. 81–82: HMC 60, Mar & Kellie, supplement (London, 1930), p. 32. 1584: James Stewart, Earl of ArranGray, p.48 ... ?–1591: Sir James Hume, Captain.Calendar State Papers Scotland, vol. 10 (Edinburgh, 1936), p. 671. 1600?: Andrew Stewart, 3rd Lord Ochiltree ... 1615–1638: John Erskine, Earl of Mar 1638–?: John Elphinstone, 2nd Lord Balmerino 1639–1640: Sir Patrick RuthvenGray, pp.49–50 1641–?: Alexander Leslie, 1st Earl of LevenPaul, vol.5: pp.81–82 1645–?: Alexander Lindsay, 1st Earl of Balcarres 1648: James Hamilton, 1st Duke of HamiltonGray, p.50 1650: Colonel Walter Dundas of Dundas Gray, p.53 1650: George Fenwick, appointed by Oliver Cromwell following his capture of the Castle Gray, p.57 1651–1652: Major-General Robert Overton, appointed by Cromwell ... 1661–?: John Middleton, 1st Earl of Middleton 1663–?: John Maitland, 1st Duke of LauderdaleGray, p.58 1664: Colonel James Murray Paul, vol.3: p.401 ... 1682–1686: William Douglas, 1st Duke of Queensberry 1686–1689: George Gordon, 1st Duke of Gordon, defended the castle for the exiled James VII 1689–1702: David Leslie, 3rd Earl of Leven 1702–1704: William Douglas, 1st Earl of March 1705–1712: David Leslie, 3rd Earl of Leven 1712–1714: John Campbell, 2nd Duke of ArgyllPaul, vol.1: p.372 1714–1737: General George Hamilton, 1st Earl of OrkneyGray, p.65 1737–1738: Charles Douglas, 2nd Earl of Selkirk 1738: George Ross, 13th Lord RossPaul, vol.7: p.261 1738–1745: Lieutenant-General Sir James Campbell of Lawers Gray, p.67 1745–1752: General Lord Mark Kerr 1752–1763: Lieutenant General Humphrey BlandGray, p.74 1763–1782: General John Campbell, 4th Earl of LoudounGray, p.75 1782–1796: General Archibald Montgomerie, 11th Earl of Eglinton 1796–1801: General Lord Adam Gordon 1801–1827: General Sir Robert Abercromby 1827–1836: General George Gordon, 5th Duke of Gordon 1836–1837: General Patrick Stuart 1837–1842: General Lord Greenock 1842–1847: Lieutenant-General Sir Neil Douglas 1847–1852: General Sir Henry Riddell 1852–1854: General Sir Thomas Napier vacant; Melville appointed retroactive to 1855 1860–1876: General Henry Dundas, 3rd Viscount Melville

Modern governors

1936–1937: General Sir Archibald Cameron of Lochiel 1937–1940: General Sir Charles Grant 1940–1941: Lieutenant-General Sir Harold Carrington 1941–1945: Lieutenant-General Sir Andrew Thorne 1945–1947: General Sir Neil Ritchie 1947–1949: Lieutenant-General Sir Philip Christison 1949–1952: Lieutenant-General Sir Gordon MacMillan 1952–1955: Lieutenant-General Sir Colin Barber 1955–1958: Lieutenant-General Sir Horatius Murray 1958–1961: Lieutenant-General Sir George Collingwood 1961–1964: Lieutenant-General Sir William Turner 1964–1966: Lieutenant-General Sir George Gordon-Lennox 1966–1969: Lieutenant-General Sir Derek Lang 1969–1972: Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Leask 1972–1976: Lieutenant-General Sir Chandos Blair 1976–1979: Lieutenant-General Sir David Scott-Barrett 1979–1980: General Sir Michael Gow 1980–1982: Lieutenant-General Sir David Young 1982–1985: Lieutenant-General Sir Alexander Boswell 1985–1988 Lieutenant-General Sir Norman Arthur 1988–1991: Lieutenant-General Sir John MacMillan 1991–1993: Lieutenant-General Sir Peter Graham 1993–1995: Major-General Michael Scott 1995–1997: Major-General Jonathan Hall 1997–2000: Major-General Mark Strudwick 3 April 2000 – 17 November 2002: Major-General Robert Gordon 18 November 2002 – 8 July 2004: Major-General Nick Parker 9 July 2004 – 21 January 2007: Major-General Euan Loudon 22 January 2007 – 19 June 2009: Major-General David McDowall 19 June 2009 – 25 October 2009: Major-General Andrew Mackay 26 October 2009 – 4 January 2012: Major-General David Shaw 4 January 2012 – 20 October 2015: Major-General Nick Eeles 20 October 2015 – June 2019: Major-General Michael Riddell-Webster June 2019 – 10 September 2024: Major-General Alastair Bruce of Crionaich 10 September 2024 – present: Major-General Bob Bruce

Notes

Bibliography