Month: July 2009

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Stirling Castle pictures

stirling castle tours
stirling castle 400478

Stirling Castle is one of Scotland’s most impressive castles due to its imposing position and impressive architecture. Our new free castle pictures gallery features a number of Scottish castles .
From Stirling Castle’s ramparts, visitors can take in views of the Forth Valley and Ben Lomond , as well as two of Scotland’s most important battle sites – Stirling Bridge (1297) and Bannockburn (1314). The castle is at the head of Stirling’s historic old town.Like Edinburgh Castle , Stirling sits on a volcanic rock dominating the city skyline .
The Renaissance pomp and pageantry of the Royal Court of Mary Queen of Scots returns to Stirling Castle next month when the queen and her entourage come home to Scotland for ‘A Royal Summer Holiday’.

Castle visitors can become courtiers at this family event from Saturday 1st to Monday 3rd August and join the 16th-century VIP visitors as they have some fun. Skittles, quoits, and firing a crossbow are on offer .
Costumed players throughout the castle will be leading special children’s tours of the castle and sharing all of the latest gossip about the lords and ladies in attendance. And kids will also have an opportunity to join the royal guard to help protect the royal party as they take a break from governing the country.

stirling castle tours
Historic Scotland Interpretation Manager Sheena Garden said: “Stirling Castle is not only one of Scotland’s grandest and most imposing castles, it was also a real favourite with Scotland’s kings and queens. And their investment in it demonstrated just how much they loved to use it, as well as their desire to ensure it both impressed all who visited it, and represented a statement of their power and wealth. James IV created the Great Hall, the largest medieval banqueting hall ever built in Scotland, and James V’s Royal Palace, with its lavishly decorated Renaissance façades, was a masterpiece of the period.

Major conservation work has been carried out at Stirling Castle over many years to preserve the attraction as a major national and international monument. The refurbishment of the Great Hall was completed a couple of years ago . A particular feature of the Great Hall is stained glass windows featuring clan crests . A number of banquets and cocerts are held in the Hall throughout the year . An ambitious £12 million scheme, the Stirling Castle Palace Project, is currently underway to restore and refurbish the Royal Palace at Stirling and present the Royal Lodgings as they might have appeared in the heyday of Scotland’s Stewart court in the mid 16th century. An interpretive display on the court of James V will be created in the palace vaults and a Renaissance Gallery on the upper floors of the palace will house the original Stirling Heads, a rare group of intricately carved oak ceiling medallions depicting kings, queens, courtiers and mythological creatures. Costumed interpreters will bring the rich history of the 16th century to life to enrich visitors’ enjoyment.

Stirling Castle is one of over 345 outstanding heritage properties and sites in the care of Historic Scotland. Historic Scotland is a Government agency responsible for running and maintaining many castles in Scotland . Ranging from prehistoric dwellings to medieval castles, and from cathedrals to industrial buildings, these include some of the leading tourism attractions in the country. Among the most popular are Edinburgh, Stirling and Urquhart Castle , Skara Brae, and Melrose Abbey . For further details visit Historic Scotland

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Calls for help with new Forth bridge financing rejected by Westminster

Forth Bridge 112
Forth Bridge 112
A fresh Commons row has broken out over the financing of the
new Forth Bridge . Holyrood is proceeding with plans to build the crossing but there have been doubts about how the estimated £2.3bn price tag will be met.
The Scottish Government has made it clear it was prepared to pay from its own budget.
However, a spokesman added that given the scale and unique nature of the project, it had approached the UK Government for the flexibility to spread the payment over a longer period. Treasury Financial Secretary Stephen Timms said the UK Government had offered “flexibility” but funding for the crossing was a devolved matter. This flexibility does not involve any extra money or help with spreading the cost of the project over a long period .
Liberal Democrat Willie Rennie asked ministers “When will the government come forward with real new money to help pay for this bridge?”
Mr Timms said: “Funding is a devolved decision, it is a matter for the Scottish Executive to determine.
“We have offered flexibility to help within the economic framework applying to the UK as a whole and I hope that flexibility will allow this project to proceed.”
English MP Bob Marris then angrily intervened, asking: “Could you assure me the government will hold firm? Scotland already gets shedloads of money under the Barnett Formula.
“They are entitled to raise their own taxes and this government should stand firm against this bridge where they want even more money.”
Mr Timms told him he had made a “forceful point” .
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “The position has been made clear in the Scottish Parliament on many occasions – the Scottish Government will deliver a new Forth crossing on time and on budget using our own resources by 2016 at a cost of between £1.7bn to £2.3bn.
“However, given the scale and unique nature of the project, we have approached the UK Government for the flexibility to spread the payment over a longer period.
“The reality is that the Treasury response involves no additional resources.
“The need for Scotland to have full control over its own resources, and the ability to borrow in the same way as other governments, has never been more evident.”

free pictures of Scotland . A Forth bridge wallpaper is available to paid subscribers