X-Nico

7 unusual facts about Holyrood


Drew Smith

On three occasions since being elected Drew Smith has refused to cross picket lines to attend debates at Holyrood when parliamentary staff have been on strike, most recently on 20 March 2013 when he spoke at a rally of Public and Commercial Services Union members in Glasgow's St Enoch Square instead.

Elizabeth Grant

Grant being unfortunate, sold Carron in 1786 or 1787 to Robert Grant of Wester Elchies, and in 1790 he died within Holyrood.

Holyrood, Southampton

Holyrood, an anglicisation of the Scots haly ruid (holy cross)

Holyrood Church, a church which now serves as a memorial to the Merchant Navy

Kate Corbett

Kate Corbett (born in Holyrood, Newfoundland and Labrador) is a Canadian actress best known for her role in Family Biz.

Westminster Bubble

More recently, in Scotland, there has been a development of a "Holyrood bubble", as the Scottish Parliament is in the Holyrood district of Edinburgh.

William Abernethy Drummond

Having paid his respects to Prince Charles Edward, when he held his court at Holyrood in 1745, he was afterwards exposed to much annoyance and even danger on that account, and was glad to avail himself of his medical degree, and wear for some years the usual professional costume of the Edinburgh physicians.


Declaration of Calton Hill

It was declared on 9 October 2004, at Calton Hill in Edinburgh, at the same time that Queen Elizabeth II was officially opening the new Scottish Parliament Building at Holyrood.

Frank McAveety

He has written in praise of David Bowie in the Scotsman newspaper and he wrote a regular feature for Holyrood Magazine, which celebrated and recommended his favourite albums.

Henry David Leslie

After this, he wrote the cantatas Holyrood (1860) and Daughter of the Isles (1861) and a Jubilate in B (1864).

Holyrood estate

R&B musician Craig David, who was born in 1981, grew up in the Holyrood estate.

Queen's Gallery, Edinburgh

This Victorian building was originally built as Holyrood Free Church (a congregation of the Free Church of Scotland, then from 1900 United Free Church of Scotland), but was last used for worship in 1915.

Scottish State Coach

The carriage was used for the Order of the Thistle service on at Edinburgh in 1994 and then as a reserve carriage for the State Visit of Harald V of Norway and Queen Sonja of Norway at Holyrood the following day.


see also