SCOTLAND’S crown jewels have returned to display at Edinburgh Castle after undergoing the most significant conservation work in their history.
The Honours of Scotland – which consists of the Crown of Scotland, Sceptre and Sword of State – have been cleaned by experts at Historic Environment Scotland (HES) to reduce tarnish and remove build-up of dust and grease.
They are the oldest crown jewels in Britain and were first used together at the coronation of Mary Queen of Scots in 1543.
The crown and sceptre were presented to Charles at a service in St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh earlier this year.
Though the Honours are made of enduring materials, their age and historic use has made them very fragile and much of the cleaning process took place under a microscope to monitor any potential changes in their condition.
The project took place over several months, with individual items taken off display at scheduled points as part of the programme.
Reed Hudson, senior metals conservator at HES who led the conservation work, said: “The Honours of Scotland are unique among the HES Collections, and we want to ensure they always look their best.
“We undertake regular cleaning and condition checking of the Honours, but this project marks the first time they have undergone such significant conservation work in their long history.
“It’s very rare that conservators can focus on just one project in this way and being able to spend this much time with the Honours has been a once in a lifetime experience.
“It has allowed me to really enjoy small details that I might have missed otherwise, like the figures of the saints engraved on the blade of the sword, or the beautiful floral motifs incorporated into the designs of the sceptre and scabbard.
"We are continually developing our methods of analysis and care to ensure that we are safeguarding our national treasures in the best possible way.”
As part of the project, the team also discovered new details about the crown.
They found several gem settings have been affixed with different kinds of pins throughout its long life.
Using X-radiography, they should be able identify the metals these pins were made from which will aid in understanding when the repairs took place.
Hudson added that HES would share some of its new findings about the Honours in more detail in the new year.
The crown is crafted of gold and silver and laden with 94 pearls and 43 gemstones including diamonds, garnets and amethysts.
James V had the Crown made in 1540, likely in part from the earlier Scottish Crown which had been damaged, and first wore it at the coronation of Mary of Guise that same year.
The sceptre is thought to have been a gift to James IV from Pope Alexander VI in 1494.
The Sword of State was gifted to James IV by Pope Julius II in 1507 and represents an exceptionally high quality of decoration.
The arms of Pope Julius were used as the theme for the sword handle design, with oak trees and acorns symbolising the risen Christ and dolphins signifying Christ’s Church. The blade of the sword is in a very fragile condition and was retired from use some years ago with consent of the monarch.
