Stirling Castle - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting

The statue of Robert the Bruce on the esplanade at Stirling Castle, Stirling, is a 1876 work sculpted by Andrew Currie and designed by illustrator George Cruikshank. As of 2020, the statue is featured on the Clydesdale Bank £20 note. The stone sculpture depicts Robert the Bruce in chain mail with his hand on the pommel of his sword. To the back side is his shield and axe. On the plinth is a shield with a lion rampant. The figure faces south, towards the location of the Battle of Bannockburn. The

Argyll's Lodging is the most complete surviving example of a seventeenth century town house in Scotland. It can be found in the upper part of Stirling, just below Stirling Castle's Esplanade. The house sits behind a screen wall and comprises a collection of buildings built in two phases and in three ranges around an enclosed courtyard.

The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Museum traces over 200 years of one of Scotland’s elite military regiments - The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. The Museum traces the history of the 91st Argyllshire Highlanders and the 93rd Sutherland Highlanders up to the time of their amalgamation in 1881 when they became the 1st and 2nd Battalions of The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Regiment and thereafter to the present day.

One of Scotland’s most important medieval churches, dating from 1456. The church was founded in 1129 during the reign of David I, but the earliest part of the present church dates from the 15th century. As such it is the second oldest building in Stirling after Stirling Castle, parts of which date from the later 14th century. The chancel and tower were added in the 16th century.

Stirling Old Town Jail was built in 1847 when the old Tolbooth Jail became too overcrowded and was rated as the worst prison in Britain. Although living conditions undoubtedly improved with the new jail, the strict regime of solitude, labour, coarse food and discomfort would still have been a deterrent. The building was still in use as a military prison until 1935.

The Stirling Smith Art Gallery & Museum, was founded in 1874 with the bequest and collection of the artist Thomas Stuart Smith on land provided by the burgh of Stirling, still operates under the modified trust deed of its founder. Today, it functions as a gallery, museum and cultural centre for the Stirling area. It is the repository for the historical artefacts and paintings of Stirlingshire, at the same time offering exhibition opportunities for contemporary artists. Over twenty community grou