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Stirling Castle is the grandest of Scotland's castles and
one of the most popular visitor attractions in the country.
The Castle is in the care of Historic Scotland and is open
to the public all year round and seven days a week. It's a
fine example of the many historic castles to be found all
over Scotland.
The mighty royal castle of Stirling towers above some of
the most important battlefields in Scotland's history, including
William Wallace's victory over the English at Stirling Bridge
in 1297 and Robert the Bruce's defeat of the same foe at Bannockburn
in 1314.
On the esplanade of the castle is a modern statue of Robert
the Bruce. It shows him sheathing his sword after the Battle
of Bannockburn in 1314.
Time and time again Stirling Castle was besieged, relieved
and then besieged once again during the Scottish struggle
against domination by the English.
Stirling has been described as a "huge brooch, clasping
Highlands and Lowlands together". Many great events from
Scotland's past are associated with Stirling Castle. Among
the best remembered is the murder of Earl of Douglas by James
II and the throwing of the corpse from a window.
Stirling Castle is closely bound with the life of ill-fated
Mary Queen of Scots. She spent her childhood in the castle.
Mary's coronation took place in the Chapel Royal in 1543 and
she narrowly escaped death by fire in 1561. It was at Stirling
that Mary's son, the future James VI, was baptised.
Architecturally, it offers an array of riches: the vast Great
Hall dating from the end of the Middle Ages, the early Renaissance
splendours of the Royal Palace with its carved heads and the
Chapel Royal built for the baptism of Prince Henry in 1594.
The reconstructed medieval kitchen, interpretative displays
and a restaurant all add to the enjoyment of visiting this,
the grandest of all Scottish castles.
The lovely Gardens - known as the Bowling Green are a great
attraction. Stirling Castle's vast formal gardens date from
the 16th century, when they became a symbol of Scotland's
cultural ascendancy. The gardens continued to attract lavish
attention for many years. Dating from the 1620s is the King's
Knot, today a ghostly relief map of a formal garden beyond
the castle walls. Visitors get their best view of it from
the Queen Anne garden, which with its roses and sheltering
tree softens the stone edges of this majestic fortress, which
has played such and integral role in the history of Scotland. |
