Scotland's sixth city lies between the River Forth and the prominent 400 feet high crag siting Stirling Castle. Ideally served by the moterway system. For long a place of great strategic significance because of its situation, midway between the east and west coasts, to hold Stirling, it was said, was to hold Scotland. Many battles were fought over the town, in 843 AD, Kenneth Macalpine defeated the Picts near Stirling; in 1297 William Wallace defeated the English at Stirling Bridge and in June 1314 Robert the Bruce routed the English at Bannockburn. For around 500 years Stirling Castle was the main residence of the Kings of Scotland. Under the protective shadow of the Castle developed one of of Scotland's earliest royal burghs with its market cross, Tolbooth, Parish Kirk and homes of the wealthy merchants and nobles of the court. Stirling has a wealth of buildings of historic and architectural note, including - the 15th Century Stirling Bridge, the Tolbooth, the Chur ... < more >