Stirling Weekend Breaks And A Number Of Superb Places You Must See
The city of Stirling has featured strongly in the history of Scotland, especially during crucial moments. The city and surrounding area has a fantastic selection of superb tourist attractions and a mass of of photo opportunities. In the article below I provide information about 3 places to visit in Stirling; Argyll’s Lodging, Stirling Castle and Stirling Old Town Jail:
Stirling Castle
Set two hundred and fifty feet above the city of Stirling, and surrounded on 3 sides by steep cliffs is Stirling Castle. Stirling Castle is very important in Scotland’s history, there have been many coronations within the castle, including Mary Queen of Scots’ in 1543. Stirling Castle was also witness to a violent murder in 1452. The eighth Earl of Douglas was victim to James II in 1452. The castle is the home of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, even though they are, sadly no longer garrisoned at the castle. However, the regimental museum of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, is situated in the castle.
Stirling Old Town Jail
The Stirling Old Town Jail we see today is not the original jail, for 400 years, Stirling’s prisoners were secured in the Old Tollbooth Jail. This jail was awfully overcrowded, and smelled dreadful, with twenty four prisoners to each cell, and zero sanitary facilities. The Tollbooth jail was condemned, because of the fearful living conditions there, and in 1847 the new jail opened. Although the jail was classed as a custodial prison, from 1888 to 1935, it was also the only military prison in Scotland. Today the Stirling Old Town Jail is a visitor attraction, and was only restored in the 1990′s. As well as guided tours, there is a glass paneled elevator that rises to a viewing platform at the top of the jail. From this superb spot you can gaze out across the Forth Valley, and enjoy the spectacular view of the Highland mountains.
Argyll’s Lodging
Argyll’s Lodging can be found on Castle Wynd, located in the center of Stirling and is Scotland’s best existing renaissance house. The house was constructed around 1630, by Sir William Alexander, founder of Nova Scotia and Viscount Canada. Sir William Alexander who became Secretary of State for Scotland, and was then appointed the 1st Earl of Stirling. Argyll’s Lodging became the property of the Argyll family on his death and was added to by the ninth Earl in 1666. The rooms which include the dining room, bed chamber, drawing room and laigh hall, have all been expertly furnished and restored, as they would have been when the 9th Earl lived there, circa 1680.
If you are planning to have a holiday in Stirling you will discover a large amount of online Stirling hotels and guest houses and you will find a massive range at http://stirling.hotelreservationhelper.com/
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Perth Vacations And Three Magnificent Places You Must See
The ‘Fair City’ of Perth in Scotland a former royal burgh stands at the head of the Tay estuary. Inbetween the 12th and 15th centuries the city competed with Dunfermline for the title of being the capital of the country. In the article below I discuss three places to visit in Perth, Scotland; Elcho Castle, Scone Palace and Huntingtower Castle:
Scone Palace
These days, home of the Earls of Mansfield is Scone Palace, and a popular attraction to visitors from across the world. The palace is an important part of Scotland’s history, as the Scottish kings were once crowned there. In 1306, Robert the Bruce was crowned at Scone Palace, as was Charles II when he took possession of the Scottish Crown in 1651. There is a beautiful and mysterious feel to the palace, which is justifiably so.Once upon a time the site acted as an important meeting place of the Picts and there was also an early Christian church on the site.
Elcho Castle
Lying about three miles from Perth, with awe inspiring views across the River Tay, is Elcho Castle. Elcho Castle is one of the finest examples of 16th century architecture in Scotland today. The Wemyss family commissioned the erection of the castle in the 1570′s. The land had belonged to the family since 1468, when it was consigned to them by King James III. In 1633, the leader of the family was given the titles of Earl of Wemyss and Lord Elcho. Elcho Castle and it’s lands remained in possession of the Wemyss family until 1929. It was then, the 11th Earl of Wemyss, gave the castle to Scotland. The castle has recently been renovated and is now in the care of Historic Scotland.
Huntingtower Castle
Situated just west of Perth is Huntingtower Castle, a medieval pile. Even though the castle is medieval in origin, it has been significantly redeveloped throughout the majoprity of it’s history. The Ruthven family were occupiers of the castle and lands from the 12th to 17th century. During this time the castle consisted of two separate towers, built 3 meters apart. When the Murray family took possession, later on in the 1600′s, they decided to merge the two towers, making the house appear more like a ordinary country manor house. The bridging work between the two towers is still clearly noticeable today, both outside and in.
If you are planning to have a vacation in Perth you will find plenty of online Perth hotels and guest houses and you will discover a broad range at http://www.perthhotelscotland.com/
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Things To See And Do about Vacations In Bristol
Bristol has an incredibly rich and varied history, making it the ideal city for a short city break. In the past Bristol was included in the country’s top three medieval towns after London. The city was one of the most important trading ports in the country, and during the 1300′s, it handled a considerable amount of the country’s trade with the nation of Ireland. In thirteen seventy three Bristol was declared a county, and it was during this time that Bristol developed into a hub of shipbuilding and manufacturing. It is the city’s diverse cultural history that helps make it one of the most exciting of the English cities of this present day. Luckily, those tourists wanting to take a vacation in Bristol will discover that there is a plentiful amount of Bristol bed & breakfast accommodation available to book online, making it very easy to make reservations.
The city of Bristol has an incredibly diverse arts scene with the city bringing forth a number of extremely talented and widely known artists over the decades. Did you know that Wallace & Grommit were first brought to life in Bristol, and that Cary Grant also hailed from the city. The famous graffiti artist called Banksy sprayed some of his most famous works of art in the city. The City Museum & Art Gallery is a free entry visitor attraction well worth a visit and displays a varied selection of superb natural history, ancient artefacts, art works, archaeology as well as an ever changing range of events and exhibitions. For a truly unique arts centre experience you should visit Spike Island. The arts centre focuses on the production and exhibition of contemporary visual arts, incorporating many aspects of multimedia projects, working with moving images, painting, printmaking and more. If you would much prefer a visit to a more traditional art gallery, then The Royal West of England Academy would be ideal. It was Bristol’s first art gallery and it now has in excess of 1,200 works of art dating from the 19C right up to the present day.
You will discover that there are a number of tourist attractions in the city of Bristol. Why not visit Bristol Zoo Gardens which has in excess of 450 diverse types of creature. The zoo is proudly involved in the conservation of endangered amphibians, mammals and insects. from around the earth.
If horses are your thing then a trip to Horseworld would be perfect for you for you and your family. A day out at Horseworld will enable you to meet rescued ponies, horses and donkeys. If it interests you it is also possible enjoy taking part in the hand feeding of the animals. A further 2 visitor attractions of a similar type are Avon Valley Adventure & Wildlife Park and the Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm, both of which provide all of the essentials you will require for an exciting family day out.
If you and your family are currently considering taking a trip to Bristol it is immensely important that you book your accommodation at the earliest opportunity as, unfortunately Bristol guest houses and hotels tend to be alarmingly busy and are frequently fully booked well in advance. If your family is large you might find that serviced apartments in Bristol prove to be less expensive option.
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