Stirling has played an important role in Scotland's history, especially during crucial moments. In and around Stirling has an incredible number of excellent tourist attractions and a huge amount of photographic opportunities. In article that follows I discuss three places to visit in Stirling; Stirling Old Town Jail, Argyll's Lodging and Stirling Castle:

Stirling Castle

Standing guard, 250 feet above the city of Stirling, and surrounded on 3 sides by steep cliffs is Stirling Castle. The castle is very important in the history of Scotland, there have been several coronations within the castle, including Mary Queen of Scots' in 1543. The castle was also witness to a shocking murder in 1452. The 8th Earl of Douglas was victim to James II in 1452. Stirling Castle is the home of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, even though they are, unfortunately no longer stationed there. However, the regimental museum of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, is located inside the castle.

Stirling Old Town Jail

The Stirling Old Town Jail we see today is not the first jail in Stirling, for 400 years, Stirling's prisoners were committed in the Old Tollbooth Jail. This jail was terribly overcrowded, and smelled vile, with 24 prisoners to each cell, and no sanitation. The Tollbooth jail was condemned, due to the awful living conditions there, and in 1847 the current jail 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 renovated in the 1990's. As well as guided tours, there is a glass paneled elevator that leads to a viewing platform at the top of the jail. From this superb vantage point a person is able to gaze out across the Forth Valley, and soak in the atmosphere of the Highland mountains.

Argyll's Lodging

Argyll's Lodging is on Castle Wynd, situated in the middle of Stirling and is Scotland's finest existing renaissance mansion. The house was built around 1630, by Sir William Alexander, founder of Nova Scotia and Viscount Canada. Sir William Alexander who was appointed Secretary of State for Scotland, and was then appointed the first Earl of Stirling. Argyll's Lodging passed to the Argyll family on his death and was extended by the ninth Earl in 1666. The rooms which include the laigh hall, dining room, drawing room and bed chamber, have all been expertly furnished and restored, as they would have looked when the ninth Earl lived there, around 1680.

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