Page 25 - DK Eyewitness Travel Guides - The World's Must-See Places

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Chapel Royal A
Seventeenth-century frescoes FRANCE ~
by Valentine Jenkins adorn
A Gargoyle on this rectangular chapel, which
castle wall THE BATTLE OF BANNOCKBURN
was built in 1594.
Stirling Castle was strategically vital to
Scotland's milital)' resistance to the English, and
was frequently under siege as a result In 12 96,
Edward I of England led a devastating invasion
~ Chapel Royal
that defeated the Scots, but William Wallace
Great Hall organized a revolt, recapturing the castle in
The royal hall has been carefully 1297, only to lose it again the following year.
restored to appear as it would On June 23, 1314, Scotland, led by Robert
have in the early 1 500s.
the Bruce, won back its independence at the
Nether Bailey Battle of Bannockburn. However, the wars with
England continued for another 300 years. The
castle's last milital)' use was against an attack
by the Jacobite army in 1746, after which the
English army set up barracks here until 1964.

THE GREAT HALL
This splendid royal hall, the largest ever bui It
in Scotland, was erected by James IV between
Robert the Bruce Statue A
150 1 and 1504 to host I avi sh state events and
banquets. When the focus of the monarchy
shifted to London after the Union of the
Crowns in 1603-when King James VI of
Scotland became I<Jng James I of England-
the Great Hall was no longer required for
state occasions. Changes were made to the
hall in the 18th centul)' to reinforce the cast I e' s
defenses and to create space for milital)'
barracks. After more than 30 years' work, the
Great Hall, restored as closely as possible to its
STIRLING BATTLES original condition, was reopened by Queen
At the highest navigable point of the Forth, Elizabeth II on November 30, 1999.
and holding the pass to the Highlands, Stirling
occupied a key position in Scotland's struggles
for independence. Seven battlefields can be THE KING'S OLD BUILDING
seen from the castle; the Wallace Monument at Built for James IV around 1496 as his private
~ Grand Battery Abbey Craig recalls William Wallace's defeat
Seven guns stand on this parapet residence in the castle, the King's Old
overlooking the town of Stir I ing. of the English at Stirling Bridge in 1297, fore- Building stands on the highest point of the
They were built in 1708 during a shadowing Robert the Bruce's victory in 1314. volcanic castle rock and commands long, wide
strengthening of the defenses. [_ The Victorian Wallace Monument
views. Following the completion of the Palace
in the 1540s, the King's Old Building was no
longer the ruling monarch's residence and so
was put to a variety of uses. Additional floors
and walls were added in the 1790s to provide
KEY DATES accommodation for a military garrison.lt was
1296 1297 1314 1496 1501 1503 1855 1964 also rebuilt after fire damage in the mid-19th
Edward I The castle Robert the James IV Work begins Building work The King's The arrcy centul)'. The building now serves as the
captures yields to the Bruce defeats begins on the Great starts on the Old Building is leaves the regimental home and museum of the Argyll
Stirling Scots after the English at extensi.e Hall. forework. bad~ damaged castle barracks. and Sutherland Highlanders and contains a
Castle. the Battle of the Battle of constructbn. by fire.
Stirling Bridge. Bannockburn. collection of mem or abi lia that includes medals,
uniforms, and weapons.