Stirling

Decline of Residency

When the king fell at Flodden, the head gardener at Stirling Castle, the Provost of Stirling burgh and many men of the town died at his side, for Stirling was always a town utterly loyal to the Stewart royal family.

With the departure of the monarchy to London in 1603 Stirling's days as a royal residence declined. But then, with the development of a Jacobite threat from the highlands, the castle was converted to a fortress guarding Stirling Bridge and a garrison came to town. A close bond was forged between the army and the burgh which continued for nearly 300 years until the eventual departure of the Argyll and Sutherland, Highlanders in 1964.

Today the castle still rings with memories of its royal past, among them James V's striking Renaissance palace, the wonderfully-restored kitchens and the magnificent Great Hall. Its walls have echoed to the sounds of many languages - kings who spoke French, queens from Denmark, soldiers who knew only Gaelic - and today the place still teems with people from all over the world.

Many stop, as Queen Victoria did in 1842 and many monarchs have done since, to admire the Highland view from the castle's ramparts. It's no wonder Stirling folk are proud of 'their' castle, and the links it has given them to the world beyond.

Such was his interest in science that he also supported the French monk Damian in his unsuccessful attempts at Stirling to turn lead into gold. He also built the famous Great Hall - scene of the extraordinary 'ship' which astonished guests at James Vl's famous banquet in 1594 on the occasion of Prince Henry's baptism.

Craig Mair