Stirling

This article is about the city in Scotland. For other uses, see Stirling (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with Sterling.

Stirling
City
The skyline of Stirling, with the castle at the top of the hill and Stùc a' Chroin mountain behind
Stirling is located in Stirling
Stirling
Stirling
Location within the Stirling council area
Population37,910 (2020)[1]
Council area
Lieutenancy area
CountryScotland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townSTIRLING
Postcode districtFK7–FK9
Dialling code01786
PoliceScotland
FireScottish
AmbulanceScottish
List of places
UK
Scotland
56°07′00″N 3°56′13″W / 56.1166°N 3.9369°W / 56.1166; -3.9369

Stirling (/ˈstɜːrlɪŋ/; Scots: Stirlin; Scottish Gaelic: Sruighlea [ˈs̪t̪ɾuʝlə]) is a city in central Scotland, 26 miles (42 km) northeast of Glasgow and 37 miles (60 km) north-west of Edinburgh. The market town, surrounded by rich farmland, grew up connecting the royal citadel, the medieval old town with its merchants and tradesmen,[2] the Old Bridge and the port. Located on the River Forth, Stirling is the administrative centre for the Stirling council area, and is traditionally the county town and historic county of Stirlingshire. Proverbially it is the strategically important "Gateway to the Highlands". It has been said that "Stirling, like a huge brooch clasps Highlands and Lowlands together".[3][4] Similarly "he who holds Stirling, holds Scotland" is sometimes attributed to Robert the Bruce.[5] Stirling's key position as the lowest bridging point of the River Forth before it broadens towards the Firth of Forth made it a focal point[6] for travel north or south.[7]

When Stirling was temporarily under Anglo-Saxon sway, according to a 9th-century legend,[8] it was attacked by Danish invaders. The sound of a wolf roused a sentry, however, who alerted his garrison, which forced a Viking retreat.[9] This led to the wolf being adopted as a symbol of the town[10] as is shown on the 1511 Stirling Jug.[11][12] The area is today known as Wolfcraig.[13] Even today the wolf appears with a goshawk on the council's coat of arms along with the recently chosen[14] motto: "Steadfast as the Rock".[15]

Once the capital of Scotland, Stirling is visually dominated by Stirling Castle. Stirling also has a medieval parish church, the Church of the Holy Rude, where, on 29 July 1567, the infant James VI was anointed King of Scots by Adam Bothwell, the Bishop of Orkney, with the service concluding after a sermon by John Knox.[16] The poet King was educated by George Buchanan and grew up in Stirling. He was later also crowned King of England and Ireland on 25 July 1603, bringing closer the countries of the United Kingdom. Modern Stirling is a centre for local government, higher education, tourism, retail, and industry. The mid-2012 census estimate for the population of the city is 36,440; the wider Stirling council area has a population of about 93,750.[17]

One of the principal royal strongholds of the Kingdom of Scotland, Stirling was created a royal burgh by King David I in 1130. In 2002, as part of Queen Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee, Stirling was granted city status.

  1. ^ "Mid-2020 Population Estimates for Settlements and Localities in Scotland". National Records of Scotland. 31 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  2. ^ Drysdale, William (1898). Old faces, old places, and old stories of Stirling. E. Mackay. pp. 292–303. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  3. ^ Durie, Bruce (2014). The Story of Stirling. History Press. p. 27. ISBN 978-0-7509-6040-3.
  4. ^ Smith, Alexander (1865). A summer in Skye. London: Sampson Low, Marston. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  5. ^ "Election 2019 results: The high-profile casualties of Scotland's election". BBC News. 13 December 2019. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  6. ^ Ronald, James (1897). The Merchants' guide book to Stirling and district. Stirling: E. MacKay. pp. 38–40.
  7. ^ Stair-Kerr, Eric (1913). Stirling Castle: its place in Scottish history. Glasgow: James Maclehose and Sons. p. 159. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  8. ^ Groome, Francis H. "Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland: A Survey of Scottish Topography, Statistical, Biographical and Historical". Gazetteer for Scotland. Thomas C. Jack, Grange Publishing Works. Archived from the original on 6 April 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  9. ^ Nimmo, William; Gillespie, Robert (1880). The history of Stirlingshire (3rd ed.). Glasgow: Thomas D. Morison. pp. 63–65 & 368–369. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  10. ^ "Stirling (Scotland)". Archived from the original on 4 April 2017. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
  11. ^ "The Stirling Jug". The Smith Art Gallery and Museum. 8 April 2016. Archived from the original on 14 April 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  12. ^ Sommerville, James (1791). The statistical account of Scotland. Vol. 8. Edinburgh: W. Creech. pp. 271-296.
  13. ^ "The Wolfcraig, Stirling – Cameraman". Blipfoto. Archived from the original on 11 December 2017. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  14. ^ "Stirling reveals new motto after vote". BBC News. 2 December 2011. Archived from the original on 28 May 2017. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
  15. ^ "Coat of Arms". Stirling Council. Archived from the original on 4 April 2017. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
  16. ^ Stair-Kerr, Eric (1913). Stirling Castle: its place in Scottish history. Glasgow: James Maclehose and Sons. p. 79. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  17. ^ "Population estimates". Stirling Council. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 4 November 2017.