Stirling (original) (raw)

Stirling is a city in central Scotland, and is also the name of one of Scotland's 32 unitary council regions.

Stirling Castle (Southwest aspect)

The City of Stirling

Stirling is an ancient town, clustered around a large castle and medieval old-town. It is a centre for government, retail, and light industry, and has a population of around 40,000. A former capital of Scotland, Stirling was known as a Royal Burgh until 2002 when, as part of Queen Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee, Stirling was granted city status.

Stirling has been strategically significant since at least the Roman occupation of Britain, due to its easily defensible hill (latterly the site of Stirling Castle) and its commanding position beside the River Forth. A ford, and later bridge, of the river at Stirling brought the city wealth and influence, as did its port. Major battles in Scotland's long conflict with England took place at the Stirling Bridge in 1297 and at the nearby village of Bannockburn in 1314.

The town motto, which was adopted in 1296, is:

The Britons stand by force of arms

The Scots are by this cross preserved from harms

The Castle & Bridge of Stirling town

Are in the compass of this seal set down.

Famous residents include Mary, Queen of Scots, King James VI of Scotland, Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman (former British Prime Minister).

Stirling council unitary authority

Stirling is also one of 32 unitary council regions in Scotland with a population of about 85,000. The administrative centre of the region is the city of Stirling itself. The region borders Clackmannanshire, Falkirk, East Dunbartonshire, West Dunbartonshire, Perth and Kinross and Argyll and Bute.

Towns and villages

• Aberfoyle
• Boreland
• Bridge of Allan
• Callander
• Crianlarich
• Doune (location of a castle used in the filming of the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail)
• Dunblane (scene of the Dunblane Massacre)
• Killin
• Lochearnhead
• Thornhill, Stirling

Places of interest

• Culcreuch Castle
• Inchmahome Priory (a ruined Augustinian priory on an island in the Lake of Menteith, used as a refuge in 1547 by Mary, Queen of Scots)
• Breadalbane Folklore Centre
• Cambuskenneth Abbey (formerly the seat of the Scottish Parliament)
• Falls of Dochart
• Falls of Lochay
• Glen Dochart
• Lake of Menteith (Scotland's only 'Lake')
• Loch Achray
• Loch Ard
• Loch Earn
• Loch Katrine (The source of most of the drinking water for the city of Glasgow)
• Loch Venachar
• Moirlannich Longhouse
• Queen Elizabeth Forest Park (run by the Forestry Commission)
• Scottish Institute of Sport (on the grounds of Stirling University)
• Stirling University

Other places named Stirling

• Stirling, a village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
• Village of Stirling, Warner County, Alberta, Canada.
• Stirling-Rawdon Township, Ontario, Canada.
• Stirling, a village in Morris County New Jersey, USA.
• City of Stirling, Western Australia.
• Stirling, a city and region in South Australia.

See also

• Stirling engine, a type of external combustion engine.
• Shorts Stirling bomber, a World War II British bomber aircraft.
• Stirling is often confused with Sterling.