Stirling Castle
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Stirling Castle is an historic castle in Stirling, Scotland. The castle sits atop the castle hill, a volcanic crag, and is surrounded on three sides by steep cliffs. The castle is a national monument, and is managed by the Historic Scotland agency.
It is the headquarters of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders regiment, although the regiment is no longer garrisoned there. The regimental museum is located within the castle.
Most of the principal buildings of the Castle date from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. A few structures of the fourteenth century remain, while the outer defences fronting the town date from the early eighteenth century.
The gatehouse providing entry from the outer defences to the Castle proper was erected by King James III and originally formed part of a splendid fore-front extending across the whole width of the Rock. At either end of this were massive rectangular blockhouses, and in the centre, flanking the gateway, were four great “rounds” with conical roofs. Of this superb composition there remains the southern blockhouse or Princes Tower (now attached to the later Palace), the adjoining length of curtain wall, the gateway and lower portion of the inner rounds, and vestiges of the outer rounds and northern blockhouse.
To the left of the gatehouse, and forming the south side of the principal or upper court, is the Palace block. This was begun by King James IV, but is mainly the work of King James V. With its combination of renaissance and late gothic detail, it is one of the most charming buildings in Scotland. The ceiling of the King’s Presence Chamber was originally decorated with the famous portrait roundels known as The Stirling Heads, but these were taken down in 1777. A great many of them are preserved in the Smith Institute, Stirling, and some more in the National Museum of Antiquities, Edinburgh.
On the east side of the upper court is the great Parliament Hall built by King James III. It is 125 feet long and 36 feet wide, with two magnificent oriel windows flanking the dais at the southern end. The small building on its cast side is the old Mint or Cunzie Hoose. The renaissance Chapel Royal on the north side of the upper court was built by King James VI in 1594 for the state christening of his son Prince Henry.
Main events in castle's history:
- Sieges of Stirling Castle
- Coronation of Mary Queen of Scots (1543)
Stirling Castle has also been the name of several ships:
External links
- Historic Scotland (http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/index/op_ourproperties/op_ourpropertiessearch/op_ourproperties_searchdetail.htm?id=90291)
- More information at Undiscovered Scotland (http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/stirling/stirlingcastle/)
- The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (http://www.argylls.co.uk/)
- The castle's history (http://www.caledoniancastles.co.uk/castles/central/stirling.htm)