mediate neighbourhood. After the battle of Falkirk, in 1746, the rebel army occupied the old church of St. Ninian's as a magazine, while they were engaged with the siege of Stirling. Either from accident or design, the magazine exploded and blew up the church, occasioning the loss of several lives; but the steeple, which was then attached to the church, resisted the shock. A new church was soon after built, but most incongruously placed at a little distance from the steeple. A mile beyond St. Ninian's is the royal burgh of STIRLING,* which, at a distance, bears a considerable resemblance to the Old Town of Edinburgh. The leading features are similar, though on a smaller scale; but if less strongly marked, and less imposing, those of Stirling are more airy and graceful. The walks in and around the town are allowed on all hands to be unique, affording an endless variety of interesting and beautiful views. It stands upon a hill that rises westward, and terminates in a precipitous cliff, crowned by the castle. The principal street runs along the ridge of the hill, from the Castle, like the High Street of Edinburgh; but the descent is more rapid. * Leaving Stirling by the south-west, there is a road to Drymen, twenty-four miles of almost one continued line of ornamental plantations and rich pleasure grounds. Passing through the King's Park, two miles, Craigforth on the right; one mile farther, Gartur and the house of Touch on the left; near this is the Gymmer's Linn, a romantic waterfall; proceed two miles, Meiklewood on the right, Gargunnock House, kirk, manse, and mill, on the left; one mile farther on the left, the magnificent house of Leckie; onward another mile, Boquhan on the left; other two miles, pass the village of Kippen, from which are delightful views of the country, Stirling Castle, and the surrounding gentlemen's seats, Broich House, in the immediate vicinity, to the left; on the left is the road to Glasgow by Fintray and Lennox-town; three miles beyond, Garden on the left; two miles onward, pass through the village of Bucklyvie; two miles farther, a road branches off to Glasgow southwards by Balfron and Killearn; and at the distance of other six miles enter Drymen; hard by is Buchanan House, Duke of Montrose.-See Note under Dumbarton Castle, SECOND Tour. The most conspicuous object in the town is its Castle, he history of "whose birth tradition notes not." But in all ages the town and castle of Stirling have been of the first importance in Scottish history. The fords and bridges in the neighbourhood, give the easiest and most direct communication between the northern and southern parts of Scotland; hence in all the wars between the two kingdoms, and also in all civil wars, the possession of Stirling Castle was regarded of the utmost consequence. It is taken notice of in Buchanan's History so early as the ninth century, when the Scots, having subdued the Picts, and being desirous of obliterating every memorial of that people, razed it to the ground. It was rebuilt by the Northumbrians, upon obtaining from Donald the Fifth, whom they had made prisoner, a cession of all the territory south of the Forth. After remaining in their possession for the space of twenty years, it was, along with the ceded territory, restored to the Scots, upon their engaging to assist the Northumbrians against the Danes. In the tenth century this castle was the rendezvous of the Scottish army under Kenneth the Third, who defeated the Danes at the battle of Luncarty. About the middle of the twelfth century, it became a royal residence, and long continued to be the favourite abode of the Scottish monarchs. In 1174, Stirling Castle was one of the four fortresses delivered up to the English as a token of vassalage, these being the ransom paid for the liberation of William the Lion, whom they had made prisoner; it was restored, along with the others, by Richard Cœur de Lion. In 1299, while in the hands of Edward I. it was surrendered to the Scots; the year following it was retaken by the English, after a most gallant defence by Sir William Oliphant, the governor. In 1303, the Scots, under the command of Sir John Soulis, again made themselves masters of it, when Oliphant resumed the command, and in the subsequent year it sustained a second siege. It was battered most furiously by artillery, stones of two hundred pounds weight being used as balls, which made vast breaches in the ramparts; but it was not until the garrison was reduced to a very few that the brave Oliphant submitted. In the reign of Edward II. it was besieged by Edward Bruce, and fell into his hands as one of the fruits of the battle of Bannockburn. During the wars of Edward III. it was successively taken and retaken. About the year 1550, during the regency of Mary of Lorraine, a strong battery, called the French battery, was erected. In 1651, the Castle was besieged and taken by General Monk. In the reign of Queen Anne it was repaired and enlarged, and a flanking battery, called Queen Anne's, was erected on the south side. The last siege which it endured was in 1746, when General Blakeney made a gallant defence, and baffled all the attempts of the Highland army to reduce it. To this historical account of the Castle, we may add that it is one of the four Scottish forts, which, by the articles of Union, are to be upheld and constantly garrisoned. Edinburgh, Dumbarton, and Blackness, are the three others. This stipulation was made to soothe the national pride; but the strict observance of it was found to be of vast advantage to the established government at the periods of the rebellions in 1715 and 1745. Stirling Castle having been, as already mentioned, a favourite residence of the Scottish monarchs, contains many remains of royal magnificence. Within the outworks of the fortification is the palace built by James the Fifth, a large square building, ornamented on three sides with pillars resting on grotesque figures jutting from the wall, each surmounted by a fanciful statue. This palace is now converted into barracks. Two rooms, called the Queen's and the Nursery, are shown, the roofs of which are of wood, divided into squares and other forms, richly carved. Connected with the Castle is a large hall, 120 feet long, built for the meetings of Parliament by James III. who had a strong passion for the fine arts, particularly architecture. This hall once had a fine gallery, elegantly ornamented; but it has been stripped to the bare walls, and converted into a riding room. Adjoining the Parliament House is the ChapelRoyal, erected originally by the same monarch, and rebuilt by James VI. It was accounted the richest collegiate church in the kingdom; but has suffered woeful desecration, being now used as a store-room and armoury. It was within this fortress that the youthful monarch, James II. treacherously murdered William, eighth Earl of Douglas, whom he had trepanned within the walls under safe-conduct. This nobleman had formed a rebellious association with others of the nobility, from which the king implored him to withdraw, and, upon his refusing, the incensed monarch stabbed him to the heart. The room where this bloody deed was perpetrated is still called Douglas's Room. In revenge, the friends of the murdered earl instantly burnt the town. This fortress is also remarkable for having been the birth-place of James IV. His son James V. was crowned here; and here also took place the coronation of the unfortunate Mary, which was conducted with great pomp and solemnity, in presence of the three estates of Parliament. James VI. passed almost the whole of his minority in the Castle, under the tuition of the celebrated Buchanan. By some writers of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, Stirling Castle has been called Snowdoun, derived, it has been supposed, from some romantic legend connecting Stirling with King Arthur. A mound of earth within the adjacent park, to be afterwards noticed, was known so early as the days of Barbour, by the name of the Round Table. Sir David Lindsay, who was the youthful playfellow of James V. thus feelingly apostrophizes the place: "Adieu, fair Snawdoun, with thy towers high, South-west of the Castle lies the King's Park, surrounded by a wall, where deer were formerly kept and hunted. This field, together with other portions of ground in the vicinity, forms a small jurisdiction, called the Constabulary of the Castle. At the east end lay the gardens, the ground occupied by which is now little better than a swamp, though vestiges of the walks and parterres, and stumps of fruit trees, are still visible. In this quarter is a mound of earth, called the "King's Knot," where the court is said to have held fêtes champêtres. This object is probably the round table men |