Everything about Stirling Scotland totally explained
Stirling (
Gaelic:
Sruighlea,
Scots:
Stirlin) is a
city and former ancient
burgh in
Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider
Stirling council area.
The city is clustered around a large
fortress and
mediæval old-town. It is a centre for local government, higher education, retail, and light industry. Its population (as of the
2001 census) was 41,243, making it the smallest city in Scotland.
One of the principal royal strongholds of the
Kingdom of Scotland, Stirling was created a
Royal burgh by
King David I in
1130, which it remained until 1975, when the county of
Stirlingshire was absorbed into
Central Region. In 2002, as part of
Queen Elizabeth II's
Golden Jubilee, Stirling was granted
city status.
History
Originally a
Stone Age settlement, Stirling has been strategically significant since at least the
Roman occupation of Britain, due to its naturally defensible
Crag and tail hill, which latterly became the site of
Stirling Castle, and its commanding position at the foot of the
Ochil Hills on the border between the
Lowlands and
Highlands, at the lowest crossing point of the
River Forth, a position it retained until the construction of the
Kincardine Bridge during the 1930s. It is supposed that Stirling is the fortress of
Iuddeu or
Urbs Giudi where
Oswiu of Northumbria was besieged by
Penda of Mercia in 655, as recorded in
Bede and contemporary annals.
A
ford, and later
bridge, of the
River Forth at Stirling brought wealth and strategic influence, as did its port. The town was chartered as a royal burgh by
King David in the 12th century, with charters later reaffirmed by later monarchs (the town then referred to as
Strivelyn). Major battles during the
Wars of Scottish Independence took place at the
Stirling Bridge in 1297 and at the nearby village of
Bannockburn in 1314, as well as several
Sieges of Stirling Castle.
The origin of the name Stirling is uncertain, but folk etymology suggests that it originates in either a Scots or Gaelic term meaning the place of battle, struggle or strife. The town has two
Latin mottoes, which appeared on the earliest burgh seal of which an impression of 1296 is on record:
» Hic Armis Bruti Scoti Stant Hic Cruce Tuti (
The Britons stand by force of arms, The Scots are by this cross preserved from harms) and
Continet Hoc in Se Nemus et Castrum Strivilinse (
The Castle and Wood of Stirling town are in the compass of this seal set down.)
Standing near the castle, the Church of the
Holy Rood (Holy Cross) is one of the town's most historically important buildings. The
Church of the Holy Rude, which was rebuilt in the 1400s after Stirling suffered a catastrophic fire in 1405, is the only surviving church in the
United Kingdom apart from
Westminster Abbey, to have held a coronation. On the
29 July 1567 the infant son of
Mary Queen of Scots was crowned
James VI of Scotland here. Musket shot marks from
Cromwell's troops during the
War of the Three Kingdoms are clearly visible on the tower and apse. Another important historical religious site in the area is
Cambuskenneth Abbey.
During the War of the Three Kingdoms, the
Battle of Stirling also took place in the centre of Stirling on 12th September 1648.
The fortifications continued to play a strategic military role during the 18th century
Jacobite Risings. In 1715, the
Earl of Mar failed to take control of the castle. In January 1746, the army of
Bonnie Prince Charlie seized control of the town but failed to take the Castle. On their consequent retreat northwards, they blew up the church of
St. Ninians where they'd been storing munitions; only the tower survived and can be seen to this day.
Economically, the city's port supported overseas trade, including tea trade with India and timber trade with the Baltic. The coming of the railways in 1848 started the decline of the river trade, not least because a railway bridge downstream restricted access for shipping. By the mid 20th century the port had ceased to operate.
Famous residents have included
Mary Queen of Scots,
King James VI of Scotland, Sir
Henry Campbell-Bannerman, documentary film pioneer
John Grierson, film music composer
Muir Mathieson, animation pioneer
Norman McLaren, TV presenter
Kirsty Young and footballer
Billy Bremner (captain of
Leeds United and
Scotland).
The Barnwell brothers, Frank and Harold, worked at Grampian Motors in Causewayhead, and in 1909 they designed and flew the first powered flight in Scotland.
Frank Barnwell went on to design aircraft including the
Bristol Blenheim. A small monument to the brothers' pioneering achievement has been erected at Causewayhead roundabout.
Stirling is also famous for its many hauntings, like the Green Lady of the Castle, seen by many a Soldier and "The Settle Inn" near the Castle which is one of the most haunted places in Scotland. Other haunted pubs include "The Golden Lion" and "The Albion Bar" - named after the local football team Stirling Albion.
Governance
In terms of
local government, the city of Stirling is a part of the wider
Stirling Council area, which governs on matters of local administration as set out by the
Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994. Elections to the council take place every 4 years. The Council is currently controlled by the
Scottish National Party. The
Provost of Stirling is Fergus Wood.
In terms of national government, there's a
Stirling constituency of the Scottish Parliament with the
MSP being
Bruce Crawford of the
Scottish National Party and a
Stirling constituency of the House of Commons represented by
Anne McGuire of the
Labour Party. As
Scotland comprises a single
European Parliament Constituency, Stirling participates in electing 7
MEP's using the
d'Hondt method of
proportional representation every 4 years.
Geography
Stirling is renowned as the
Gateway to the Highlands and is generally regarded as occupying a strategic position at the point where the flatter largely undulating
Scottish Lowlands meet the rugged slopes of the
Highlands along the
Highland Boundary Fault. The starkness of this contrast is evidenced by the many
hills and
mountains of the lower Highlands such as
Ben Vorlich and
Ben Ledi which can be seen to the northwest of the city. On the other hand, the
Carse of Stirling, stretching to the west and east of the city, is one of the flattest and most agriculturally productive expanses of land in the whole of
Scotland.
The land surrounding Stirling has been most affected by
glacial erosion and
deposition. The city itself has grown up around its
castle which stands atop an ancient
Quartz-dolerite Sill, a major defensive position, which was, in turn at the lowest crossing point on the
River Forth. Stirling stands on the Forth at the point where the river widens and becomes
tidal. To the east of the city the
Ochil Hills dominate the skyline with the highest peaks in the range being
Dumyat and
Ben Cleuch. The Ochils meet the flat
floodplain or
Carse of the
River Forth to the east of the distinctive geographical feature -
Abbey Craig, a
crag and tail hill upon which stands the 220ft (67m) high
Wallace National Monument.
The climate of Stirling differs little from that of much of the rest of central
Scotland. The warm,
Gulf Stream air current from the
Atlantic Ocean is the predominant influence, with a prevailing southwesterly wind.
Areas of Stirling
Demography
The city of Stirling had a population of 41,243 at the 2001
census, which has risen to 44,460 according to mid-2004 population estimates. The wider
Stirling Council area had a population of 86,370 in 2004. The city is reputed to be the third fastest growing area of
Scotland in terms of population. According to the 2001 census, 52.7% of the population was female compared to 47.2% male. Stirling had both a smaller proportion of under 16's, at 16.7% compared to the
Scottish average of 19.2% and a smaller proportion of those of pensionable age - 17.8% - compared to the Scottish average of 18.6%. The highest proportion of the
population, at 24.3% was concentrated in the 16-29 age group. Stirling also had a higher proportion of non-Scottish born residents at 16.5% compared to the Scottish average of 12.8%. The population was also slightly younger than the Scottish average - the
median age for
males was 34 to the national average of 37; and the
median age for females was 36, to the national average of 39. The population peaks and troughs significantly when the students come and go from the city.
Economy
At the centre of a large rural
agricultural hinterland that encompasses some of the flattest and most productive land in
Scotland, Stirling principally functioned as a
market town, symbolised by its
Mercat cross, with farmers coming to sell their products and wares in the large agricultural market that was held in the town. Today, agriculture still plays a part in the economic life of Stirling, given its focus at the heart of a large rural area, but to a much less extent than previously.
With Stirling's development as a
market town and its location as the focus of transport and communications in the region, it has developed a substantial
retail sector serving a wide range of surrounding communities as well as the city itself. Primarily centred on the city centre, there are a large number of chain stores, as well as the
Thistles shopping centre. However this has been augmented by out-of-town developments such as the Springkerse Retail Park on the city bypass to the east of Stirling, and the development of a large
Sainsbury's at
the Raploch.
A major new
regeneration project on the site of the former port area and the 40-acre former Ministry of Defence site, adjacent to
Stirling Railway Station, is currently underway. Known as Forthside, it has the aim of developing a new waterfront district linked to the railway station via a new pedestrian bridge, the development comprises retail, residential and commercial elements, including a conference centre, hotel and
Vue multiplex cinema, that will ultimately expand the city centre area, linking it to the River Forth, which has been cut off from the city centre area since the construction of the
A9 bypass under the railway station in the 1960s. For the first time in 100 years, local people will have access to the banks of the River Forth in the city centre with landscaped public areas, footpaths, cycleways and an improved public transport network.
In terms of the service sector,
financial services as well as
tourism are the biggest employers. The financial services and insurance company
Prudential have a large and well-established base at Craigforth on the outskirts of Stirling. In terms of tourism, the presence of such historical monuments as
Stirling Castle, the
National Wallace Monument and other nearby attractions like
Blair Drummond Safari Park, the key role which Stirling has played in
Scottish history, as well as the scenery of the area, has bolstered Stirling's position as an important tourist destination in
Scotland.
The
University of Stirling and
Stirling Council are two of the biggest employers in the area. Knowledge related industries,
research and development as well as
life sciences have clustered around the university in the Stirling University Innovation Park, close to its main campus. Other public sector agencies that are major employers in the city include
Central Scotland Police,
Scottish Prison Service,
NHS Forth Valley and the
Scottish Environmental Protection Agency.
Stirling is home to national construction companies Ogilvie group, chaired by Duncan Ogilvie who is listed the times rich list claiming he's worth £35 million. And home to Fes group (Forth Electrical Services)
Transport
Public Transport to districts within the city and to the surrounding towns, like
Bridge of Allan and
Alloa, is almost completely provided by buses operated principally by the
First Group, although there are also railway links to
Bridge of Allan and
Dunblane. At the heart of Scotland's
Central Belt, Stirling has direct road connections to the major cities of
Glasgow, via the
M80 motorway, and
Edinburgh, via the
M9 motorway, as well as inter-city rail links from
Stirling Railway Station. Transport infrastructure in the area will be further improved with the completion of the
Upper Forth Crossing and the
Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine rail link, as well as a planned upgrade of the
A80 Trunk road to
Motorway standards. The City of Stirling is home to a large number of
commuters, with 12,000 residents commuting to work in other areas, with 13,800 workers also travelling in to the city.
Sports and Recreation
Sports
Local sporting teams include the
football team
Stirling Albion F.C. who play at
Forthbank Stadium, the
rugby union team
Stirling County and the
athletics team Central Athletic Club based at
University of Stirling. Footballers
Billy Bremner and
Duncan Ferguson were born in Stirling, as were rugby internationals
Kenny Logan and
Allister Hogg,
jockey Willie Carson, and
cricketer
Dougie Brown.
Stirling is also a major centre of sports training and education in
Scotland. The
Scottish Institute of Sport is headquartered in a purpose built facility on the campus of
Stirling University which opened in 2002. Also at the university in the state of the art Scottish National Swimming Academy as well as the
Gannochy National Tennis centre which is seen as a tennis centre of excellence.
Furthermore the university itself has its own dedicated Sports Studies department and was ranked amongst the best in the
United Kingdom for its provision of sports facilities, with the maximum 5 star award, shared by 16 other universities in the UK. Stirling University also currently hosts the Scottish men's lacrosse champions.
Stirling and its surrounding area has a number of 9 and 18 hole
golf courses, the largest of which is the Stirling Golf Course, located in the Kings Park area of the city.
Closure of Rainbow Slides
On
January 25 2008, it was announced that
Stirling Council had decided to close the city's swimming pool, Rainbow Slides, permanently with the loss of 33 jobs. Stirling councillors decided to shut the city's Rainbow Slides, built in
1975, because repair costs were too high. Metal slats from the facility's roof fell into the water in December as the pool was being used by swimmers. No-one was injured in the incident.
The pool closed for good on 29 February. A new public pool is due to open at the city's Forthside development in March 2009. The decision to close the facility has proved controversial as it leaves the city without a public pool for more than a year.
Education
The
University of Stirling opened in 1967 on a greenfield site outside the town. Currently there are 9000 students studying at the university, of which 7000 are
undergraduates and 2000 are
postgraduates. Students of over 80 nationalities are represented at the university, with 14% of students coming from overseas. It has grown into a major research centre, with a large
science park - Innovation Park, located immediately adjacent to the main university campus. Innovation Park has grown since its initiation in 1993, and is now home to 40 companies engaging in various forms of
research and development. Stirling is also home to part of the wider
Forth Valley College which was formed on
August 1 2005 from the merger of
Falkirk, Stirling and
Clackmannan colleges.
There are four main high schools in Stirling itself -
Stirling High School, with a school roll of 940 pupils,
Wallace High School with 950 pupils,
St Modan's High School, located in the suburb of
St Ninians and Bannockburn High School in Broomridge. All the city's schools are currently being redeveloped as a result of a
Public-private partnership scheme.
In January
2008 it was announced that Students from
Singapore would be able to gain degrees in retail from the
University of Stirling in a tie-up with the country's
Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP). Under the deal, students with a relevant polytechnic diploma will be able to enter directly into year three of the University's BA (Hons) Retail Marketing – thereby serving a niche market for well-trained retail managers. Professor Paul Freathy, director of the university's Institute for Retail Studies (IRS), said: "Statistics have shown that close to 80 per cent of the retail workforce in Singapore have secondary or below education. There are no comprehensive and industry-oriented tertiary education programmes in retail in Singapore – so this is a significant step forward for the retail sector. We expect to see the retail leaders of tomorrow passing through this programme." Prof Freathy said the university would have a suite of offices in Singapore at the Nanyang campus through which students would have access to all the Stirling facilities. In addition, Stirling staff would be permanently based in Singapore and IRS staff will travel out to teach.
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