What Happened in 1567 at Kirk-O-Field ?

PRO Ref: Source 1 - MPF 366, Source 2 - SP 53/2 ff.62-65, Source 3 - SP 52/13

This Snapshot involves the pupils in detective work, using three crucial sources about the murder of Lord Darnley the husband of Mary Queen of Scots. Groups of pupils can study individual sources and report back to the whole class and then together arrive at an answer to the mystery. Alternative pupils can work through the exercise as a self-contained study.

The Sources

The plan was drawn for Cecil shortly after the murder. The murder aroused obvious interest in England. Darnley had once been Elizabeth I’s suitor and was her cousin.

The ‘Incriminating Evidence’ is in fact an extract from the infamous Casket Letters. Produced by the Earl of Moray as evidence of Mary’s complicity in the murder of Darnley, the originals of the letters have always been doubtful. The document shown here is a copy made in 1568 to present before a commission set up at Westminster to investigate the case. It is poor copy, roughly translated from French and giving only excerpts from the original. At the time little emphasis was placed on the letters, only since have they featured. Currently, historians believe the Casket Letters were fakes - a botch job of various letters, some perhaps written by Mary others fabricated.

The witness statements come from two servants living near Kirk-O-Field House, most probably in the housing shown on the left of the plan. Some of the language may need interpreting.

‘crak rais’ - the explosion

‘ wynd’- a narrow passageway leading to street of tenement yard.

‘Freirs’- Black Fryers- a place near Kirk-O-Field House

‘sark allane’ - sark is shirt, allane is alone

Elizabeth I: how successfully did she tackle the problems of her reign? KS 3