Scottish Royal Burial Sites

by An Ard Rí and Susan Flantzer   © Unofficial Royalty 2012

This list of Scottish royal burial sites starts with the House of Bruce and continues with the House of Stuart.

The Royal House of Bruce produced two Kings of Scotland and one King of Ireland (briefly). It was through a daughter of Robert the Bruce that the House of Stuart/Stewart acceded to the Scottish Throne.

House of Bruce

  • Robert I, King of Scots (Robert the Bruce), reigned 1306 – 1329
  • David II, King of Scots, reigned 1329 – 1371

House of Stuart/Stewart

  • Robert II, King of Scots (grandson of Robert I), reigned 1371 – 1390
  • Robert III, King of Scots, reigned 1390 – 1406
  • James I, King of Scots, reigned 1406 – 1437
  • James II, King of Scots, reigned 1437 – 1460
  • James IV, King of Scots, reigned 1488 – 1513
  • James V, King of Scots, reigned 1513 – 1542
  • Mary I, Queen of Scots, reigned 1542 – 1567

Unofficial Royalty: Scottish Index

Unless otherwise noted, all portraits and photos are from Wikipedia.

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The ruins of Holyrood Abbey; Credit – Susan Flantzer, September 2018

The Royal Tombs of Scotland suffered much destruction during the Scottish Reformation. Practically all the tombs and the remains were destroyed. The few surviving remains are mainly interred at Holyrood Abbey.

Most Scottish monarchs and consorts were buried at the following royal sites. Click on the links below to learn more.

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Robert I/Robert the Bruce, King of Scots (reigned 1306–1329)

Robert the Bruce was the son of Sir Robert de Brus, Earl of Carrick, Lord of Annandale and Marjorie, Countess of Carrick. He was elected King of Scotland in 1296 and was crowned King at Scone Abbey on 25 March 1306. Robert the Bruce married twice, firstly to Isabella of Mar (died in childbirth) and secondly to the Irish Elizabeth de Burgh.

Robert the Bruce died on 7 June 1329 near Dumbarton. His body was buried at the Benedictine Dunfermline Abbey, while his heart was interred at the Cistercian Melrose Abbey.

His tomb was lost in 1560 when Dunfermline Abbey was sacked by Scottish Calvinist. His coffin was discovered in 1819 during repair work and was re-interred in the repaired vault. The heart monument of Robert the Bruce was uncovered in 1996 and after an examination was reburied at Melrose Abbey on 22 June 1998.

Isabella of Mar, Countess of Carrick

The first wife of Robert the Bruce, she died in childbirth before he became King and was the mother of Marjorie Bruce, Princess of Scotland. Following her death, Isabella of Mar was buried at the Cluniac Paisley Abbey. Her tomb has not survived.

Elizabeth de Burgh, Queen of Scots

Elizabeth de Burgh was the second wife of Robert the Bruce, King of Scotland. She was of Irish noble descent and was crowned Queen Consort of Scotland on 27 March 1306. Elizabeth was the mother of the last Bruce King, David II of Scotland.

Queen Elizabeth died at Cullen Castle, Banffshire on 27 October 1327 and was buried at Dunfermline Abbey. Her tomb was destroyed by the Scottish Calvinists in 1560, but her coffin was discovered in 1917 and re-interred.

Marjorie de Bruce, Princess of Scotland

By Stephencdickson – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=62009437

Marjorie was the daughter of Robert the Bruce, King of Scotland and his first wife, Isabella of Mar. She married Walter Stewart in 1315 and their son was Robert II, was the first Stewart/Stuart King of Scotland.

Marjorie de Bruce died on 2 March 1316 following a fall from a horse. The Princess was heavily pregnant with the future Robert II, and he survived although his mother did not. Marjorie de Bruce was buried at Paisley Abbey. Her tomb has survived and is still at Paisley Abbey

Tomb of Marjorie Bruce

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David II, King of Scots (reigned 7 June 1329 – 22 February 1371

The son of Robert the Bruce and Elizabeth de Burgh, David became King upon the death of his father. He married Joan of England/Tower, daughter of Edward II of England, in July 1328, but the union proved childless. His second marriage to Margaret Drummond in 1364 also proved childless.

David II died suddenly on 22 February 1371 at Edinburgh Castle. His remains were buried at the Augustinian Holyrood Abbey in Edinburgh. His tomb and remains were lost during the War of the Rough Wooing when English troops sacked and burnt Holyrood Abbey in 1544 and 1547.

Joan of the Tower, Queen of Scots

The youngest daughter of Edward II of England and Isabella of France and first wife of David II of Scotland, Joan was married to David when they were both young children. Their marriage was childless and Joan died in 1362 at Hertford Castle in England and was buried at the Grey Friars Church, London. Her tomb was destroyed during the Dissolution of the Abbeys.

Wikipedia: Christ Church Greyfriars

Margaret Drummond, Queen of Scots

The second wife of David II, King of Scots, Margaret Drummond was born in Perthshire, Scotland in about 1330. She was the daughter of Sir Malcolm Drummond, a minor Lennox and Perthshire lord, and his wife from the Graham family, possibly named Annabelle,  Margaret and David had no children. Around 1373, Margaret died in Marseilles, France. Pope Gregory XI paid for her funeral and burial. Her burial place is unknown, but it is assumed it is in France.

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Robert II, King of Scots (reigned 22 February 1371 – 19 April 1390)

Robert II, son of Marjorie de Bruce and Walter Stewart, was the first Stewart King of Scotland. He succeeded his childless uncle, David II, in 1371.

Robert II died at Dundonald Castle in Ayrshire on 19 April 1390. His remains were buried at Scone Abbey which was destroyed during the Scottish Reformation.

Elizabeth Mure

The first wife of Robert II, King of Scots, Elizabeth Mure was probably born at Rowallan Castle near Kilmaurs, a village in East Ayrshire, Scotland. Her parents were Sir Adam Mure of Rowallan and Janet Mure of Pokellie. Elizabeth died before her husband became king.  She was first the mistress of Robert II and then married him in 1346.  They had at least ten children.

Elizabeth Mure died before May 1355 and was buried at Paisley Abbey in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland. Her eldest son, John Stewart, Earl of Carrick would eventually succeed to the throne upon the death of his father as Robert III, King of Scots.

Euphemia de Ross, Queen of Scots

The second wife of Robert II, Euphemia de Ross was the daughter of a Scottish noble and married the future Robert II of Scotland in May 1355. Euphemia de Ross died in 1386 and was buried at Paisley Abbey. Her tomb was destroyed in 1560 during the Scottish Reformation.

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Robert III, King of Scots (reigned 1390 – 4 April 1406)

The son of Robert II and his first wife Elizabeth Mure, he married Anabella Drummond in 1367. They were the parents of James I of Scotland.

Robert III died on 4 April 1406 at Rothesay Castle. His remains were buried at Paisley Abbey, but his tomb was destroyed during the Scottish Reformation in 1560. A Victorian plaque was erected in 1888 to mark his original burial site.

Anabella Drummond, Queen  of Scots

The wife of Robert III of Scotland, she was the mother of James I and David Stewart, Duke of Rothesay. Anabella Drummond died at Scone Palace in 1401 and her remains were buried at Dunfermline Abbey.

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James I, King of Scots (reigned 4 April 1406 – 21 February 1437)

James was the youngest son of Robert III and Annabella Drummond. He became King in 1406 and was crowned at Scone Abbey on 21 May 1424. He married Joan Beaufort, a niece of Henry IV of England, in February 1424 and they were the parents of eight children.

James I was murdered at Perth Castle on 21 February 1437. His remains were buried beneath a ‘magnificent monument’ at the Carthusian Priory in Perth. On 11 May 1559, following a sermon by John Knox, the Carthusian Priory in Perth was attacked by a mob of Scottish Calvinists. Everything was destroyed including the royal tombs and remains.

Joan Beaufort, Queen of Scots

The English wife of James I of Scotland, she acted as Queen Regent following the murder of her husband in 1437. Queen Joan died at Dunbar Castle, East Lothian on 15 July 1445. She was buried beside her husband at the Carthusian Priory in Perth. Her tomb and remains were totally destroyed in May 1559 when her husband’s tomb and remains were destroyed.

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James II, King of Scots (reigned 21 February 1437 – 3 August 1460)

Following the assassination of his father, James II became King of Scotland at age seven, with his mother Joan Beaufort acting as Regent. On 3 July 1449, he married Mary of Guelders, daughter of Arnold, Duke of Guelders and Catherine, eldest daughter of Adolph IV, Duke of Cleves.

James II was killed following a gunpowder explosion at the siege of Roxburgh Castle on 3 August 1460. His remains were taken to Edinburgh and buried at Holyrood Abbey. His tomb, like so many others, has not survived.

Mary of Guelders, Queen of Scots

The wife of James II, she also acted as Queen Regent following his death. Queen Mary died at Roxburgh Castle on 1 December 1463 and her remains were brought to the Royal Collegiate Church of the Holy Trinity in Edinburgh which she founded and where she was buried. Her coffin was re-discovered in 1848 and was then moved to the Royal Vault in the ruins of Holyrood Abbey.

Royal Vault in the ruins of Holyrood Abbey; Credit – Susan Flantzer

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James III, King of Scots (reigned 3 August 1460 – 11 June 1488)

The son of James II and Mary of Guelders, he became King upon the death of his father in 1460. James III died at the Battle of Sauchieburn on 11 June 1488. His body was taken to the Augustinian Cambuskenneth Abbey, where he was buried. The Abbey Church and Royal Tombs were destroyed in 1560 by Scottish Calvinists. During the reign of Queen Victoria, a new memorial was erected to mark the site of the original tomb.

Monument marking the burial place of James III and his wife Margaret at Cambuskenneth Abbey


Margaret of Denmark, Queen of Scots

Margaret was the daughter of Christian I of Denmark and Dorothea of Brandenburg. In July 1469 she married James III of Scotland at Holyrood Abbey. Queen Margaret died at Stirling Castle and her remains were taken to the Augustinian Cambuskenneth Abbey. Her tomb and the Abbey were destroyed in 1560.

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James IV King of Scots (reigned 11 June 1488–9 September 1513)

The son of James III and Margaret of Denmark, he succeeded his father as King in June 1488. James IV married Margaret Tudor, daughter of Henry VII of England on 8 August 1503 at Holyrood Abbey.

James IV was killed at the disastrous Battle of Flodden Field on 9 September 1513. His body was taken to England and buried at the Carthusian Priory at Sheen near Richmond, England. His remains were lost during the Dissolution of the Priory in 1539. His head was hacked off and buried at a church in London.

Margaret Tudor, Queen of Scots

The eldest daughter of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York, she was married to James IV of Scotland in August 1503. After his death, she married two more times, to Scottish noblemen. Margaret died at Methven Castle on 18 October 1541. She was buried at the nearby Carthusian Priory of Perth. Her tomb was destroyed her remains were burnt on 11 May 1559 when a mob of Calvinists attacked the Priory.

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James V, King of Scots, (reigned 9 September 1513 – 14 December 1542)

The only surviving son of James IV and Margaret Tudor, he became King in 1513. He was the last Catholic King of Scotland and the father of Mary I, Queen of Scots. James died on 14 December 1542 at Falkland Palace in Fife. His remains were brought back to Edinburgh and buried at Holyrood Abbey. His tomb was desecrated in 1544 during the War of the Rough Wooing and his remains were reburied in the Royal Vault at Holyrood Abbey.

Photo Credit – www.findagrave.com

Madeleine de Valois, Queen of Scots

The eldest surviving daughter of François I of France and Claude de France, she married James V of Scotland on 1 January 1537 at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Madeleine de Valois died on 7 July 1537 at Edinburgh Castle, only a few weeks after arriving in Scotland. Her remains were buried at Holyrood Abbey. Her tomb was desecrated in 1544 during the War of the Rough Wooing and her remains were reburied in the Royal Vault at Holyrood Abbey.

Mary of Guise, Queen of Scots

The eldest daughter of Claude of Lorraine, Duke of Guise and Antoinette de Bourbon. She was the second wife of James V of Scotland and mother of Mary, Queen of Scots. Mary of Guise died of dropsy (edema) on 11 June 1560 at Edinburgh Castle. Her body was taken back to France and buried at the Abbaye Saint-Pierre-les-Dames in Reims.

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Mary I, Queen of Scots (reigned 14 December 1542 – 24 July 1567)

Mary, Queen of Scots was the only surviving child of James V of Scotland and his second wife, Mary of Guise. She became Queen when she was six days old. At the age of five, she was sent to France and she later married the Dauphin François (later François II of France.)

Mary, Queen of Scots was executed on 7 February 1587 at Fotheringhay Castle, Northamptonshire. Her body was first buried first at Peterborough Cathedral and later interred at Westminster Abbey in London during the reign of her son King James I of England.

King François II of France, King Consort of Scots

The eldest son of Henri II of France and Catherine de Medici, he married Mary, Queen of Scots on 24 April 1558. François II died on 5 December 1560 at Orléans, France and he was buried at the Basilica of Saint-Denis near Paris, France. His tomb was destroyed during the French Revolution and his remains were also desecrated in 1793.

Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, Duke of Albany and King Consort of Scots

The son of Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox and Lady Margaret Douglas, daughter of Margaret Tudor. He married his first cousin Mary I, Queen of Scots on 29 July 1565 at Holyrood Palace. Henry Stuart was killed following an explosion at Kirk o’ Field, Edinburgh on 10 February 1567. His remains are buried at Holyrood Abbey.

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James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell

The third and last husband of Mary, Queen of Scots, James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell was born about 1534 in Edinburgh, Scotland. He was the only son and the eldest of the two children of Patrick Hepburn, 3rd Earl of Bothwell.

After Mary was deposed, Bothwell was forced to flee Scotland. He was taken into custody in Denmark and spent the rest of his life incarcerated at Dragsholm Castle. James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell died there on April 14, 1578. A body, allegedly said to be Bothwell’s, was buried at Fårevejle Church, nearby the castle. Bothwell’s ghost is said to haunt the castle, riding through the courtyard with a horse and carriage.

Coffin in Fårevejle Church with Bothwell’s alleged remains

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