Gather at 1pm to see the master gunner fire the gun – every day except Sundays, Good Friday and Christmas Day.

Crowds gathered to see the one o'clock gun being fired © Historic Scotland

Key facts

Gunner with the one o'clock gun © Historic Scotland
Fired almost every day since 1861, it is a tradition remaining from the days when it was a time signal for ships in the Firth of Forth and the port of Leith.

- The One o’clock Gun was first fired from the Castle on 7 June 1861, and has continued ever since, six days a week, except during the two World Wars.

- The Gun is timed to coincide perfectly with the Time-Ball, a large white ball which is raised above the Nelson Monument on Calton Hill, and drops at exactly 1300 hours.

- Together, the One o’clock Gun and the Time-Ball provide a time signal for shipping in the Firth of Forth and the Port of Leith.

- The gun was originally a 64-pounder cannon mounted on the Half-Moon Battery. It is now a 105mm field gun, fired manually by the District Gunner from the Mills Mount Battery.

- The castle hosts a permanent exhibition about the One o’ clock Gun. It was created by the One O'clock Gun Association in collaboration with Historic Scotland.

View the One o'clock Gun Association website