Stirling Castle

                                                                                                                                            July 2009
The volcanic castle rock of Stirling rises over the fields of Scotland's greatest battles.  When Edward I of England took Stirling Castle, the Scots fought back and won the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297, led by William Wallace (Braveheart).  But a year later, the Scots were defeated, the castle retaken by the English, and William Wallace brutally killed.  The Scottish spirit was still strong, but it wasn't until 1314 that Robert the Bruce (ancestor--see prior post), after many setbacks, led them to victory again in the fields of Bannockburn near Stirling Castle.  Rather than risk the English retaking the castle, he had it razed.

The castle seen today is really a conglomerate of structures started in the 1380s and undergoing revisions until the Jacobite uprising by Bonnie Prince Charlie was crushed in 1746.  But it was during the reigns of  James IV, James V, Mary Queen of Scots, and James VI (who became James I of the united England and Scotland) that  Stirling Castle became a resplendent Renaissance castle with a brilliant  court life on par with those in Europe and England.

Though Mary, Queen of Scots, was crowned at Stirling when 9 months old, she spent her childhood in France and much of her married life in Edinburgh. She returned to Stirling Castle for the baptism of her son, James VI, in a golden baptismal font provided by Elizabeth I, during a two-day celebration which included an allegorical siege of an enchanted Arthurian castle.  A year later, Mary abdicated to her infant son.  Not to be outdone, James VI had the baptism of his first son celebrated with an actual ship  "sailing" into the great hall to deliver fish to the guests at the banquet.  This event was the talk of Europe for centuries.

Stirling was about an hour west of Edinburgh by train, but no matter how you arrive, you must get up the steep road to reach the castle.  There is limited parking at the top, so I took a taxi up and enjoyed the walk back down through the town.  There was an interesting free tour (once you paid admission). James V's palace was closed for remodeling, but there was still lots to see, including the 16th century model kitchen and the tapestry weaving cottage.  Leaving, I shuddered as I passed over the surviving grates of the "oubliet" (from the French "to forget") where prisoners were dropped into a pit dungeon from which there was no return.
Click link for slideshow:
Stirling Castle

Music: Carl Peterson, Scotland the Brave, Scotland the Brave
More information: http://www.stirlingcastle.gov.uk/