The castle was captured by General Monck in 1650 during Cromwell's invasion of Scotland, being bombarded by land and sea, but most damage was done by a battery placed on the high ground on the landward side. It was not repaired until 1660. In the 19th century Blackness was greatly altered to hold powder and stores, and became the central ammunition depot for Scotland. In 1912 the castle was handed over to the care of the State, and although briefly reused during World War I, a major programme of restoration and repair was carried out between 1926 and 1935. Part of Hamlet, starring Mel Gibson, was filmed here, as well as the BBC production of Ivanhoe.