Museums, archives and heritage in Stirlingshire

Stirlingshire, west-midland county of Scotland; consists of a main portion and two detached sections to the NE. included in Perthshire and Clackmannanshire; is bounded N. by Perthshire, NE. by Clackmannanshire and a detached portion of Perthshire, E. by the Firth of Forth and Linlithgowshire, S. by Linlithgowshire, Lanarkshire, and detached part of Dumbartonshire, and W. by Dumbartonshire; greatest length, NW. and SE., 46 miles; greatest breadth, NE. and SW., 22 miles; area, 286,338 acres, population 112,443. The E. part of the co. is flat, finely wooded, and well cultivated; and the valley of the Forth along the N. boundary includes some of the finest land in Scotland. The middle and S. are occupied with hills and valleys – the principal ridges being the Campsie Fells and Kilsyth Hills, and the Fintry Hills and Gargunnock Hills. On the W. a long projection extends north-wards, including a mountainous district in which Ben Lomond rises to an alt. of 3192 ft., and parts of Loch Lomond and Loch Katrine. Besides the Forth, the chief streams are the Avon, Carron, Bannock, Allan, Endrick, and Blane. Coal and ironstone are extensively worked; limestone and sandstone are abundant. There are important manufactures of woollens, cotton, and iron; and there are several large chemical works and distilleries. The county comprises 21 parishes, with parts of 5 others, and the parliamentary burghs of Stirling (part of the Stirling District of Burghs) and Falkirk (part of the Falkirk District of Burghs).

– John Bartholomew, Gazetteer of the British Isles (1887)

Battle of Bannockburn, The

Glasgow Road

Stirling FK7 0LJ

0844 493 2139

www.battleofbannockburn.com

Take your place on the battlefield. Stand face-to-face with fearless medieval warriors. Witness two opposing kings – Robert the Bruce and Edward II – whose tactics in 1314 changed the path of Scotland’s history, forever. Harnessing state-of-the-art 3D technology, visitors can experience medieval combat like never before to learn about this crucial event in Scottish history.

Callendar House

Callendar Park

Falkirk FK1 1YR

01324 503770

goo.gl/fbZe6p

Have a grand day out at Callendar House in Falkirk. Situated in magnificent park and woodland, Callendar House tells stories of 600 years of Scottish history.

Collections: Visit our two permanent exhibitions: ‘William Forbes’s Falkirk’, a major state of the art exhibition which will take you on a journey through time from the days of the Jacobites to the advent of the railway; and ‘The Story of Callendar House’ which traces the story of the house and its occupants from the 11th century to the modern day and the part they played in shaping our nation’s history.

Moirlanich Longhouse

Near Killin FK21 8TS

0844 493 2136

www.nts.org.uk/Property/Moirlanich-Longhouse

Visit this perfectly preserved cruck frame cottage and get a glimpse of Scottish village life in the 19th century. Moirlanich was home to at least three generations of the Robertson family, with the last member leaving in 1968.

Museum of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders

Museum of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, The Castle

Stirling FK8 1EH

01786 475165

www.argylls.co.uk

The museum traces the history of the 91st Argyllshire Highlanders and the 93rd Sutherland Highlanders up to the time of their amalgamation in 1881 when they became the 1st and 2nd Battalions of The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Regiment and thereafter to the present day.

Museum Workshop & Stores – Falkirk Museums Service

7-11 Abbotsinch, Abbotsinch Industrial Estate

Grangemouth FK3 9UX

01324 504 689

www.falkirkcommunitytrust.org/venues/museum-store

The museum Workshop, located in Grangemouth, is a storage facility that cares for the 30,000 objects belonging to Falkirk Council museums. Covering 1,150 square metres of floorspace, the workshop stores everything from large objects like a 1930s tramcar and heavy machinery from Falkirk’s industrial past, to much smaller items like winged insects, 1970s platform shoes and Roman archaeology.

Stirling Archives

5 Borrowmeadow Road

Stirling FK7 7UW

01786 450745

goo.gl/PRZcn5

Are you interested in: learning more about the past of your local area? searching for your ancestors? finding out the history of your house? If so, the Archives is the place to come.

Stirling Castle – Historic Scotland

Stirling Castle

Stirling FK8 1EJ

01786 450000

www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/places

Without doubt one of the grandest of all Scottish castles, both in its situation on a commanding rock outcrop and in its architecture. The Great Hall and the Gatehouse of James IV, the marvellous Palace of James V, the Chapel Royal of James VI and the artillery fortifications of the 16th to 18th centuries are all of outstanding interest.

Stirling Smith Art Gallery & Museum

Dumbarton Road

Stirling FK8 2RQ

01786 471917

www.smithartgalleryandmuseum.co.uk

Founded with the Bequest of Thomas Stuart Smith (1814-1869), the Stirling Smith Art Gallery & Museum opened in 1874. Built in the Italianate style & designed by John Lessels, the museum stands within its own grounds below Stirling Castle. The Smith provides Stirling with a museum service and a focus for the historical and cultural life of its people.