Worthwhile Places to Visit in Stirling, Scotland
February 26th, 2009 at 04:17pm Under Attractions+ Overland travel+ family vacations
Stirling has appeared throughout Scotland’s history, especially during crucial moments. The city and surrounding area has a fantastic number of spectacular visitor attractions and a mass of of photographic opportunities. In the article below I discuss 3 places to visit in Stirling; Stirling Old Town Jail, Stirling Castle and Argyll’s Lodging:
Stirling Castle
Sat two hundred and fifty feet above the city of Stirling, and surrounded on 3 sides by steep cliffs is Stirling Castle. Stirling Castle is very important in Scotland’s history.
There have been a number of coronations in the castle, including Mary Queen of Scots’ coronation in 1543.
Stirling Castle was also witness to an horrific murder in 1452. The 8th Earl of Douglas was victim to James II.
The castle is home to the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, even though they are, unfortunately, no longer garrisoned at the castle. However, the regimental museum of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, is located inside the castle.
Stirling Old Town Jail
The Stirling Old Town Jail of today is not the first jail in Stirling; for four hundred years, Stirling’s prisoners were held in the Old Tollbooth Jail. This jail was terribly overcrowded and smelt disgusting, with twenty four prisoners per cell and no sanitary facilities. The Tollbooth jail was condemned, because of the awful living conditions there, and in 1847 the current jail opened.
Although the jail was classed as a custodial prison, 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 elevator that transports one to a viewing platform at the very top of the jail. From this superb vantage point a person can gaze out across the Forth Valley, and enjoy a spectacular view of the Highland mountains.
Argyll’s Lodging
Argyll’s Lodging is found on Castle Wynd, located in the center of Stirling and is Scotland’s finest surviving renaissance mansion. The house was constructed around 1630, by the founder of Nova Scotia and Viscount Canada, Sir William Alexander who was appointed Secretary of State for Scotland, and then became the 1st Earl of Stirling.
Argyll’s Lodging passed to the Argyll family on Sir William’s death and was further extended by the 9th Earl in 1666. The rooms which include the laigh hall, bed chamber, drawing room and dining room, have all been restored and furnished as they would have been when the 9th Earl lived there, around 1680.
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and you will discover a huge selection at http://stirling.hotelreservationhelper.com/
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