Vacations in the Scottish town of Stirling And A Selection Of Exquisite Tourist Attractions You Must See

Stirling has appeared throughout the history of Scotland, especially during vitally important events. In and around Stirling has an incredible selection of spectacular visitor attractions and a mass of of photographic opportunities. In the article below I introduce 3 places to visit in Stirling; Stirling Castle, Argyll’s Lodging and Stirling Old Town Jail:

Stirling Castle

Set 250 feet above the city of Stirling, and surrounded on three sides by shear cliffs is Stirling Castle. Stirling Castle is immensely important in Scotland’s history, there have been a number of coronations in the castle, including Mary Queen of Scots’ in 1543. Stirling Castle was also witness to a horrifying murder in 1452. The eighth Earl of Douglas was victim to James II in 1452. The castle is home to 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 inside the castle.

Stirling Old Town Jail

The Stirling Old Town Jail of today was not the original jail, for four hundred years, Stirling’s prisoners were housed in the Old Tollbooth Jail. This jail was shockingly overcrowded, and smelled disgusting, with twenty four prisoners to a cell, and zero sanitary facilities. The Tollbooth jail was condemned, because of the dreadful living conditions there, and in 1847 the current jail was opened. Although the jail was classed as a custodial jail, from 1888 to 1935, it was also the only military prison in Scotland. Today the Stirling Old Town Jail is a visitor attraction, and was only restored in the 1990′s. As well as guided tours, there is a glass paneled lift that transports one to a viewing platform at the top of the jail. From this superb spot one can look out across the Forth Valley, and catch a glimpse of the Highland mountains.

Argyll’s Lodging

Argyll’s Lodging is found on Castle Wynd, near the middle of Stirling and is Scotland’s best existing renaissance house. The mansion was constructed around 1630, by Sir William Alexander, originator of Nova Scotia and Viscount Canada. Sir William Alexander who became Secretary of State for Scotland, and was then appointed the 1st Earl of Stirling. Argyll’s Lodging became the property of the Argyll family on his death and was further extended by the ninth Earl in 1666. The rooms which include the dining room, bed chamber, drawing room and laigh hall, have all been superbly furnished and restored, as they would have looked when the 9th Earl lived there, around 1680.

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