Portobello Castle

Portobello Castle has a strong and distinguished history. The site was originally built on in 1332 by Henry de Rey Key, a Franco-Scot who was connected to the Clan MacDonald, and whose descendants forged the way for Bonnie Prince Charlie to return to Scotland. Indeed it's thought that Charlie spent three nights in Portobello Castle, virtually under the noses of the English forces. The castle was saved from destruction following the various Jacobite rebellions when, remarkably, confusion caused by a map being held upside down lead to the razing to the ground of Kirkcaldy instead.

Before Charlie it had been a seaside retreat of Mary Queen of Scots, who would take the sea air and is credited with inventing the penny drop game. The regal connection continued right the way to the Victorian Age when Queen Victoria herself stayed with Prince Albert, in a much changed castle, the first in the world to have as indoor lavatory (though Queen Victoria was famously suspicious of such innovation and instead would be accompanied by an entourage to the nearby Figgate Burn where the Royal bowels would be evacuated behind a screen erected by her Ladies-in-Waiting). It is believed that Princess Alice was conceived here.

Sadly the castle fell out of use in the early 20th century, until it was purchased in 1979 by George Best, who would train on the Portobello sands during his short career with Hibs (though it's rumoured he was more interested in Portobello's numerous public houses). When he died in 2005 the castle was sold to pay for his funeral costs, and was bought by Todd McMurtagh III, an American businessman. This neatly rounded off the story as he has traced his family roots back to the original de Rey Key family. His ancestor was employed as a bed warmer.

(I was in Portobello to drop off the prints in the extras shot at a little gallery/shop, finding out a little later that a Kingfisher has already been sold; before meeting a friend for coffee and chat).