Stirling has featured strongly in the history of Scotland, especially during important times. The city and surrounding area has an amazing selection of spectacular visitor attractions and masses of monuments and places to photograph. In the article below I describe three places to visit in Stirling; Argyll’s Lodging, Stirling Castle and Stirling Old Town Jail:
Stirling Castle
Two hundred and fifty feet above the city of Stirling, standing guard, and surrounded on 3 sides by steep cliffs is Stirling Castle. Stirling Castle is incredibly important in Scotland’s history, there have been a number of coronations in the castle, including that of Mary Queen of Scots in 1543. The castle was also witness to a violent murder in 1452. The eighth Earl of Douglas was victim to James II in 1452. The castle is the home of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, although they are, unfortunately no longer stationed at the castle. However, the regimental museum of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, is located within the castle.
Stirling Old Town Jail
The Stirling Old Town Jail we see today was not the original jail, for 400 years, Stirling’s prisoners were secured in the Old Tollbooth Jail. This jail was shockingly overcrowded, and smelt vile, with 24 prisoners to each cell, and zero sanitary facilities. The Tollbooth jail was condemned, because of the inhuman living conditions there, and in 1847 the new jail opened. Although the jail was classed as a custodial jail, from 1888 to 1935, it was also the only military jail in Scotland. Today the Stirling Old Town Jail is a visitor attraction, and was only renovated in the 1990′s. As well as guided tours, there is a glass paneled lift that rises to a viewing platform at the top of the jail. From this superb spot one is able to look out across the Forth Valley, and gaze upon the Highland mountains.
Argyll’s Lodging
Argyll’s Lodging can be found on Castle Wynd, near the center of Stirling and is Scotland’s best surviving renaissance mansion. The mansion was built around 1630, by Sir William Alexander, originator of Nova Scotia and Viscount Canada. Sir William Alexander who became Secretary of State for Scotland, and then became the 1st Earl of Stirling. Argyll’s Lodging became the property of the Argyll family on his death and was extended by the ninth Earl in 1666. The rooms which include the dining room, drawing room, bed chamber and laigh hall, have all been expertly restored and furnished, as they would have been when the ninth Earl lived there, circa 1680.
If you are thinking about having a holiday in Stirling you will discover plenty of online Stirling hotels and guest houses and you will discover a broad selection at http://stirling.hotelreservationhelper.com/
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