The city of Stirling has appeared throughout Scotland’s history, especially during crucial moments. In and around Stirling has an incredible selection of spectacular tourist attractions and masses of monuments and places to photograph. In the article below I describe 3 places to visit in Stirling; Argyll’s Lodging, Stirling Castle and Stirling Old Town Jail:

Stirling Castle

Two hundred and fifty feet above the city of Stirling, standing guard, and surrounded on three sides by shear cliffs is Stirling Castle. The castle is immensely important in the history of Scotland, there have been many coronations in the castle, including Mary Queen of Scots’ in 1543. The castle was also witness to a horrifying murder in 1452. The 8th Earl of Douglas was victim to James II in 1452. Stirling Castle is home to the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, even though they are, sadly no longer garrisoned there. However, the regimental museum of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, is situated within the castle.

Stirling Old Town Jail

The Stirling Old Town Jail of today is not the first jail in Stirling, for 400 years, Stirling’s prisoners were incarcerated in the Old Tollbooth Jail. This jail was dreadfully overcrowded, and smelled foul, with 24 prisoners per cell, and zero sanitation. The Tollbooth jail was condemned, because of the dreadful living conditions there, and in 1847 the new 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 tourist 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 deck at the very top of the jail. From this superb vantage point a person is able to look out across the Forth Valley, and soak in the atmosphere of the Highland mountains.

Argyll’s Lodging

Argyll’s Lodging can be found on Castle Wynd, situated in the center of Stirling and is Scotland’s best existing renaissance house. The mansion was built circa 1630, by Sir William Alexander, originator 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 became the property of the Argyll family on his death and was added to by the ninth Earl in 1666. The rooms which include the laigh hall, drawing room, dining room and bed chamber, have all been superbly furnished and restored, as they would have looked when the 9th Earl lived there, circa 1680.

If you are considering having a holiday in Stirling you will find a large selection of online Stirling hotels and guest houses and you will discover a massive selection at http://stirling.hotelreservationhelper.com/

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