Coronavirus in Scotland: Edinburgh and Stirling castles go into lockdown

Edinburgh and Stirling castles are to go into coronavirus lockdown in the wake of the official advice for Scots to stay home as much as possible and avoid crowded areas.

Historic Environment Scotland, the heritage agency responsible for some of Scotland's most historic attractions, has ordered the closure of all staffed properties from tomorrow.

More than two million people have visited Edinburgh Castle in recent years, while Stirling Castle has attracted upwards of half a million.

The move also affects popular site like Urquhart Castle, on the banks of Loch Ness, Doune Castle, which was famously featured in Monty Python and Outlander, Linlithgow Palace, Iona Abbey and Skare Brae in Orkney.

A statement announcing the closures said: “The safety of our staff, visitors and partners is of paramount importance and we have taken this decision in line with the latest Scottish Government advice.

“Our seasonal sites will not be opening as normally scheduled in April 2020.

“However, our unstaffed sites, will be open and are free to access.

“Any visitors with pre-booked tickets to any of our sites or events at our sites will be automatically refunded.”