Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Stirling

The Wallace Monument is a 67 m high square tower that was built in 1869 near Stirling, Scotland, in memory of William Wallace. William Wallace was one of the leaders of the resistance against Edward I of England ("Edward Longshanks"), who claimed sovereignty over Scotland and forced the Scottish King John de Balliol to abdicate in 1296. Together with Andrew de Moray, Wallace inflicted a devastating defeat on the English troops in the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297. As a result, the two drove the remnants of the English administration out of Scotland and were appointed by the Scottish nobility as Guardians of the Realm, regents of Scotland in the name of King John Balliol, who was in English captivity. Wallace was knighted and led a raid through the English counties of Northumberland and Cumberlane. He was defeated by Edward I at the Battle of Falkirk in 1298. William Wallace was betrayed and captured on 5 August 1305 at Robroyston near Glasgow. Shortly afterwards he was tied to a horse and taken on a two-week journey to London. There he was accused of high treason and sentenced to death by hanging, disemboweling and quartering. The execution took place on 23 August 1305.

Cambuskenneth Abbey was an Augustinian monastery now is largely reduced to its foundations, however its bell tower remains. King David I founded Cambuskenneth Abbey around 1140. It was one of the most important abbeys in Scotland, partly due to its proximity to the royal city of Stirling. The abbey was a frequent visitor to royalty, including King Edward of England and the future Scottish King Robert the Bruce. Robert I held his parliament here in 1314, shortly after the Battle of Bannockburn, and again in 1326, the latter to confirm the succession of his son David and ultimately to arrange the transfer of the kingship to the Stuart family in the event of his death without heirs, which would occur with the coronation of Robert Stuart in 1371. Cambuskenneth was burned down by the army of King Richard II of England in 1383 and was subsequently rebuilt. In 1486 Margaret of Denmark died near Stirling Castle and was buried in the abbey. When her husband James III was defeated and killed by rebellious nobles (including his 15-year-old son) at the Battle of Sauchieburn in 1488, just five kilometres south of the abbey, his body was also brought to the abbey for burial. Rumors of James III's death quickly spread. The new regime under James IV tried to distance itself from the murder and blamed "vile and obsure persons". In 1865, the tomb was opened by Sir James Alexander, who found two skeletons that had largely disintegrated. The neoclassical sarcophagus with coat of arms and Latin inscription that can be seen today dates from the 1860s. It was donated by Queen Victoria

Cambuskenneth Abbey was an Augustinian monastery now is largely reduced to its foundations, however its bell tower remains. King David I founded Cambuskenneth Abbey around 1140. It was one of the most important abbeys in Scotland, partly due to its proximity to the royal city of Stirling. The abbey was a frequent visitor to royalty, including King Edward of England and the future Scottish King Robert the Bruce. Robert I held his parliament here in 1314, shortly after the Battle of Bannockburn, and again in 1326, the latter to confirm the succession of his son David and ultimately to arrange the transfer of the kingship to the Stuart family in the event of his death without heirs, which would occur with the coronation of Robert Stuart in 1371. Cambuskenneth was burned down by the army of King Richard II of England in 1383 and was subsequently rebuilt. In 1486 Margaret of Denmark died near Stirling Castle and was buried in the abbey. When her husband James III was killed in 1488 in the Battle of Sauchieburn, just five kilometers south of the abbey, fighting against rebellious nobles, his body was also brought to the monastery for burial. The abbey lost its importance during the Scottish Reformation. In Most of the buildings were burned down and plundered. Most of the masonry of the church and outbuildings was removed to be used for construction work in the castle. The appointed administrator, John Erskine, 17th Earl of Mar, guardian of James V and Mary Stuart, is said to have used large parts of the ruins to build his magnificent city palace in Stirling, Mar's Wark.

The ford across the River Forth near the town brought prosperity and influence, as did the port that was later built. In the 12th century, King David and his successors elevated the town, then called "Strivelyn", to a "burgh". The ford, which was later expanded into a bridge, was the site of the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297 during the constant conflicts between the Scots and the English. In 1314, the two armies met again near the bridge at the Battle of Bannockburn. Even centuries later the port on the River Forth brought prosperity to the city - particularly through the tea trade with India and the timber trade with the Baltic states. However, with the invention and spread of the railway, the decline of river trade began. After a railway bridge was finally built over the river, which made it possible to load goods onto ships further downstream, the port finally disappeared completely in the middle of the 20th century. The Church of the Holy Rude is the medieval parish church. It is named after the Holy Rood, a relic of the True Cross on which Jesus was crucified. The church was founded in 1129, but nothing of this early structure now remains due to a fire in 1405. Rebuilding was completed in 1414. The fall of the House of Douglas caused devastation in Stirling, possibly also damaging the church. King James II ordered a new church to be built on the same site in 1456. Construction was initially completed in the 1470s. The second construction phase began in 1507 with plans to build a transept, a choir and a crossing tower, which would result in a cruciform basilica. The work progressed slowly. With the Reformation, they were finally abandoned unfinished in 1546. After a dispute in the course of the 17th century, the parish split and the Church of the Holy Rude became home to two congregations. Around 1818, the building was extensively remodelled and partly extended, which greatly diminished its original character.

The ford across the River Forth near the town brought prosperity and influence, as did the port that was later built. In the 12th century, King David and his successors elevated the town, then called "Strivelyn", to a "burgh". The ford, which was later expanded into a bridge, was the site of the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297 during the constant conflicts between the Scots and the English. In 1314, the two armies met again near the bridge at the Battle of Bannockburn. Even centuries later the port on the River Forth brought prosperity to the city - particularly through the tea trade with India and the timber trade with the Baltic states. However, with the invention and spread of the railway, the decline of river trade began. After a railway bridge was finally built over the river, which made it possible to load goods onto ships further downstream, the port finally disappeared completely in the middle of the 20th century. The Athenaeum was built 1816 - 1817 on the site of the former meat market. It served as a clubhouse and library for local merchants. Shops were set up on the ground floor. A porch was added to the entrance area in 1859. From 1875, the city used the building for public offices. The neo-classical building occupies a prominent position at the head of King Street, which splits at this point into Spittal Street and Baker Street, which run either side of the Athenaeum. The six-storey tower, which tapers upwards and ends in a round section with columns and a pointed spire with a weathercock, is striking.

The ford across the River Forth near the town brought prosperity and influence, as did the port that was later built. In the 12th century, King David and his successors elevated the town, then called "Strivelyn", to a "burgh". The ford, which was later expanded into a bridge, was the site of the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297 during the constant conflicts between the Scots and the English. In 1314, the two armies met again near the bridge at the Battle of Bannockburn. Even centuries later the port on the River Forth brought prosperity to the city - particularly through the tea trade with India and the timber trade with the Baltic states. However, with the invention and spread of the railway, the decline of river trade began. After a railway bridge was finally built over the river, which made it possible to load goods onto ships further downstream, the port finally disappeared completely in the middle of the 20th century. The Victorian arcade was constructed 1879 - 1882. It was the idea of businessman William Crawford, a local china merchant. The unique development comprised 2 hotels, 39 shops, a 1200-seat theatre, and 6 dwellings and cost £30,000 to construct. The Stirling Arcade is one of just five 19th century shopping arcades in Scotland.

Stirling Castle sits atop an intrusive crag, It is surrounded on three sides by steep cliffs, giving it a strong defensive position. Its strategic location has made it an important fortification in the region from the earliest times. Most of the principal buildings of the castle date from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Before the union with England, Stirling Castle was also one of the most used of the many Scottish royal residences, very much a palace as well as a fortress. Several Scottish Kings and Queens have been crowned at Stirling, including Mary, Queen of Scots, in 1542. There have been at least eight sieges of Stirling Castle, including several during the Wars of Scottish Independence, with the last being in 1746, when Bonnie Prince Charlie unsuccessfully tried to take the castle.