Stirling Castle

Historic Scotland

Set high on its striking volcanic rock, Stirling Castle in Scotland has been the scene of some of the most dramatic events in Scottish history, culminating in the unsuccessful siege by Bonnie Prince Charlie 200 years ago. It was the last siege of a castle on the British mainland.
Stirling Castle is situated on a top of a volcanic crag and is surrounded on three sides by steep cliffs. This made easy defending for anyone in Stirling Castle during the times of Wars for Independence in Scotland.

Principal buildings

The principal buildings of Stirling Castle date from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. A few structures of the fourteenth century remain, while the outer defenses fronting the town date from the early eighteenth century. King James III erected the gatehouse providing entry from the outer defenses to the Castle.
To the left of the gatehouse, and forming the south side of the principal or upper court, is the Palace block. The Palace block was begun by King James IV, but is mainly the work of King James V.
The ceiling of the King's Presence Chamber was originally decorated with the famous portrait roundels known as The Stirling Heads. The Stirling Heads were taken down in 1777. They are preserved in the Smith Institute and the National Museum of Antiquities in Edinburgh.
On the east side of the upper court is the great Parliament Hall built by King James III. The Parliament Hall is 125 feet long and 36 feet wide, with two magnificent oriel windows flanking the dais at the southern end.

Historic Scotland agency

The castle is a national monument, and today is managed by the Historic Scotland agency.

Strategic importance

'Historic Scotland: Stirling Castle' provides the reader with a tour of this historical site and evokes the changing life of the castle and its human dramas. It is a survey of a site which, strategically, was perhaps the most important in the whole of Scotland. It concentrates on the castle's construction, highlighting its pre-eminence from the 12th century and its development and strategic importance over the next 700 years. It also looks at the building of the magnificent royal residence during the 16th century by James IV, James V and James VI, and examines the adaptation of the castle as a major fortress in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Publication

Historic Scotland: Stirling Castle by Richard Fawcett
Publisher: B.T. Batsford, 1996
ISBN: 0713476230

More information

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