Stirling Castle

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The bus left for Stirling Castle at 2:15. The weather was improved in the mid afternoon, and we could see beautiful Scottish countryside from the bus. We arrived at Stirling Castle at 3:30. The Scottish guide gave us 1 hour and 30 minutes for us to look round the castle or stroll through the town.

With English Heritage membership cards, we were given the discount for the admission fees. We didn't hire the audio guide, and tried to look round the historical buildings as much as possible.

Like Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle sits atop the volcanic crag, and it is thought to be one of the largest and most important castles in Scotland. Having been given a strong defensive position, the Stirling Castle was involved in a series of battles and the backdrop of wars of independence.

Between 1490 and 1600, Stirling Castle was developed as a principal royal centre by the Stewart Kings - James the 4th, 5th, and 6th. Most of the buildings which show today were constructed during the period. The architecture of these buildings shows an eclectic mix of English, French, and German influences and represents the example of Renaissance influenced royal residence.

I was impressed with a line of carved stonework on the facade of the Royal Palace and the Great Hall with limewashed outer walls and intersecting tracery on the windows, which appear the grandest secular building. We looked round the Chapel Royal where Queen Mary of Scots was crowned in 1543 and James the 6th first son, Prince Henry was baptised in 1595.

There were interesting tapestries with details of imaginary castles, worshippers, unicorns, and plants displayed.

We then looked round the 16th century kitchen. There were waxworks of kitchen workers cooking meats, fish, baking bread, and preparing different types of dishes.

We walked around the outer wall, and overlooked Stirling town, the Wallace Monument, which was erected for commemorations of actions of the wars of independence, and River Forth. It was really, really beautiful with sunny spells in the late afternoon.

We popped in the Tapestry Studio, which was established in 2002. The team of weavers had visited the cloisters and art colleges, studied the 15th century originals, medieval weaving techniques, colour palettes, and materials, and demonstrated their working environment and activities in processing the tapestries which will be displayed in the Great Hall in the near future.

There were numerous types of souvenirs, e.g. Scottish history books, postcards, DVDs, CDs, T-shirts, towels, dolls and teddy bears with tartan check clothes, chocolates, and snacks, to name just a few.

We left Stirling Castle at 5 o’clock. The bus driver went past Bannockburn, which was the backdrop of wars of Scottish Independence, Linlithgow Palace on the way back to Edinburgh. He dropped us off around Haymarket just after 6 o’clock.

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