By using our website you consent to our use of cookies. Using heraldry as our guide, we can see that the unicorn was first introduced to the royal coat of arms of Scotland around the mid-1500s.Prior to the Union of the Crowns in 1603, our coat of arms was supported by two unicorns. Some of Scotland’s most important historic buildings and statues feature the unicorn, including: VisitScotland uses cookies to enhance your experience on our website. The unicorn was believed to be the strongest of all animals – wild and untamed, and that it could only be humbled by a virgin maiden. Of course they do! Accessibility Policy Feedback & complaints You just have to know where to look. While the animal is mythological, the ideals it represents are what make it a perfect fit as the national animal for Scotland, and because like this proud beast – Scots would fight to remain unconquered.

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Mary, Queen of Scots’ coat of arms at Falkland Palace However, in 1825, a prominent French naturalist called Georges Cuvier attempted to dispel the myth by stating that an animal with a split hoof could never grow a single horn from its head (he also argued against theories of evolution). Read Canna’s Margaret Fay Shaw’s diary entries during her first voyage to school in Helensburgh, on the Anchor Line’s SS Columbia.Theatre maker Al Seed created an after-dark solo tour experience that re-imagined a journey through history, hosted by an invisible yet ever-present guide.We take a look at how ‘ordinary’ women are represented in the photographic collections of Canna House.Help protect our treasured places - now and for future generationsIn Scotland we’re known for our love of legends, from ghosts and witches to giant water monsters. Unicorns have been linked to Scotland for centuries. However, when King James VI of Scotland also became James I of England, he replaced one of the unicorns with the national animal of England, the lion, as a display of unity between the two countries.
The unicorn was first used on the Scottish royal coat of arms by William I in the 12th century.

The unicorns’ distinctive appearance left a lasting legacy on the country’s cities and towns, many of which, to this day, still bear unicorn heraldry. The National Trust for Scotland is a charity registered in Scotland, Charity Number SC 007410 Please read our But how did the magical unicorn become our national animal? Why not stay in a castle, a lighthouse or on a working farm?Iconic Ben Nevis needs to be top of your Scottish to-do list. Although we don’t know for sure, it’s believed that this was a way of showing the power of Scottish kings – that only they had the strength to tame the untameable.For thousands of years, people around the world believed that unicorns did exist.
With Scotland being famed for its love for and long history of myths and legends, it is no surprise that a fabled creature such as the unicorn is Scotland’s national animal.

Nevertheless, the spirit of the unicorn has lived on ever since – people even celebrate National Unicorn Day every year on 9 April.So … do unicorns exist in Scotland?

Scotland uses a fictional animal as its national symbol - a unicorn. We use necessary cookies to make our site work.

See if you can spot them across the country. Why? In the 15th century, when King James III was in power, gold coins even appeared with the unicorn on them. Not only is it fictional, but it is also an animal that symbolizes purity and grace, which makes it even more special.

A close-up of the unicorn on Mercat Cross in Jedburgh When James VI became James I of England and Ireland, he replaced the unicorn on the left of the shield with the national animal of England, the lion, to show that the countries were indeed united. With Scotland being famed for its love for and long history of myths and legends, it is no surprise that a fabled creature such as the unicorn is Scotland’s national animal.

While the animal is mythological, the ideals it represents are what make it a perfect fit as the national animal for Scotland, and because like this proud beast – Scots would fight to remain … Tales of dominance and chivalry associated with the unicorn may be why it was chosen as Scotland’s national animal. And our love for this famous mythological creature dates back many centuries.Unicorns have featured in many cultures going as far back as the classical age, including the ancient Babylonians and the Indus civilization.

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