Stirlingshire or the County of Stirling (Siorrachd Sruighlea in Gaelic) is a registration county of Scotland, based around Stirling, the former county town. It borders Perthshire to the north, Clackmannanshire and West Lothian to the east, Lanarkshire to the south, and Dunbartonshire to the south-west.
Stirling is a city in central Scotland, in the district 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.
Once Stirling was the 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.
Two famous battles were fought near Stirling. In the Battle of Stirling Bridge (1297) Sir William Wallace, the Scottish national leader, routed the English, and in 1314 at the Battle of Bannockburn, the English under Edward II were defeated and the Scots regained their independence. From then until the mid-16th century Stirling flourished and shared with Edinburgh the rank and privileges of a capital city. The castle became a residence for the Stuart kings, but, after the union of the Scottish and English crowns in 1603, Stirling ceased to play an important national role.
The old town was built on higher levels and on the steep approaches to the castle, where many fine examples of 16th- and 17th-century domestic buildings still survive. Remains of a town wall still exist, as does the “auld brig” over the Forth, a 14th-century structure of pointed arches that is now used only by pedestrians but was once the “key to the Highlands.” Stirling grew rapidly in the 19th century, especially after the coming of the railways, when it became the commercial centre for an extensive and prosperous agricultural region. During this period much of the new town was laid out, mainly on level land to the south.
Tourist Attractions in Stirling:
The Bannockburn Heritage Centre
Blair Drummond Safari Park
Callandar House
Glengoulandie Deer Park
Kilmahog Woolen Mill
Mill Trail Visitors Centre
The Old Arcade
The Old Town Jail
Plean Country Park
Rob Roy Visitors Centre
Scottish Wool Centre
The Smith Gallery
Stirling Castle
The Wallace Monument
SS Sir Walter Scott
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