Hello Emma.
The castle is impressive being built on a rock of basalt which indicates its volcanic origin. It is like the basalt that was used in the old bluestone buildings in Melbourne. St Patrick’s Cathedral has bluestone foundations which look rather like the colour of the rocky area at the base of the castle. The castle was besieged and often taken over many years. The last conflict was in 1745 during the rebellion of Bonnie Prince Charlie when the town of Edinburgh was taken but the castle held out because the Jacobites did not have siege equipment.
grand tour of the middling sort 
Hello Emma.
The castle is impressive being built on a rock of basalt which indicates its volcanic origin. It is like the basalt that was used in the old bluestone buildings in Melbourne. St Patrick’s Cathedral has bluestone foundations which look rather like the colour of the rocky area at the base of the castle. The castle was besieged and often taken over many years. The last conflict was in 1745 during the rebellion of Bonnie Prince Charlie when the town of Edinburgh was taken but the castle held out because the Jacobites did not have siege equipment.