James S. Richardson prepared a formal guide to the Palace of Holyroodhouse (1936) that replaced Sir Herbert Maxwell’s Palace and Abbey Church of Holyroodhouse (1906). Richardson’s guide, in its third edition continued into the 1970s (with the 11th impression in 1975).
However The Palace of Holyroodhouse: An Illustrated Guide with a Short History of the Palace and Abbey (1st ed. 1960; 3rd ed. 1963; Edinburgh HMSO) appeared alongside the more formal guide. This was priced at 1 shilling and 6 d. This illustrated guide was ‘Prepared for the Ministry of Public Buildings and Works by the Central Office of Information’. It starts with a simple guide to the rooms, each numbered with a black and white illustration and a short description (pp. 2-10, nos. 1-16). This is then followed by a Short History (printed on yellow paper) (pp. 11-26). There is a final set of photographs including Queen Elizabeth II at Holyroodhouse in her role as Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Scots Greys, and a small selection of the paintings in the collection (pp. 30-32). The guide itself is anonymous.
It makes a companion to the other illustrated souvenir guides appearing from the late 1950s for sites in England and Wales.
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