Weekend Breaks In Stirling And A Number Of Superb Tourist Attractions Worth Visiting
Stirling has appeared throughout Scotland’s history, especially during crucially important moments. The city and surrounding area has an amazing number of spectacular visitor attractions and a mass of of photographic opportunities. In the following article I discuss 3 places to visit in Stirling; Stirling Old Town Jail, Argyll’s Lodging and Stirling Castle:
Stirling Castle
Situated 250 feet above the city of Stirling, and surrounded on three 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 that of Mary Queen of Scots in 1543. The castle was also witness to an horrific murder in 1452. The 8th Earl of Douglas was victim to James II in 1452. The castle is the home of 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 in the castle.
Stirling Old Town Jail
The Stirling Old Town Jail we see today is not the first jail in Stirling, for 400 years, Stirling’s prisoners were committed in the Old Tollbooth Jail. This jail was terribly overcrowded, and smelled vile, with 24 prisoners in each cell, and no toilet facilities. The Tollbooth jail was condemned, because of the fearful living conditions there, and in 1847 the new jail opened. Although the jail was classed as a custodial prison, from 1888 to 1935, it was also the only military prison in Scotland. Today the Stirling Old Town Jail is a tourist attraction, and was only restored in the 1990′s. As well as guided tours, there is a glass paneled lift that leads to a viewing deck at the very top of the jail. From this superb vantage point a person can gaze out across the Forth Valley, and enjoy the spectacular view of the Highland mountains.
Argyll’s Lodging
Argyll’s Lodging is on Castle Wynd, near the middle of Stirling and is Scotland’s finest existing renaissance house. The mansion was constructed circa 1630, by Sir William Alexander, founder 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 passed to the Argyll family on his death and was extended by the ninth Earl in 1666. The rooms which include the laigh hall, dining room, drawing room and bed chamber, have all been superbly furnished and restored, as they would have been when the ninth Earl lived there, around 1680.
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