121-564: Raploch , known locally as The Raploch or The Raptap , is a district of the city of Stirling , which lies to the south of the River Forth in central Scotland . The first houses were built in the late 17th century, after the land had been sold by the Earl of Mar to the patrons of Cowane's Hospital in Stirling. Economic conditions led to stagnation but housing began again in earnest at
242-506: A Brittonic origin, and the name was thought likely to be Brittonic by most commentators thereafter. However, in a comprehensive survey of the evidence in 2017, Thomas Owen Clancy showed that a Brittonic etymology is unlikely, and derived the name from Gaelic srib-linn , meaning "pool in the river". A geographical survey of Britain in the eighth-century Ecclesiastical History of the English People by Bede also mentions
363-431: A 9th-century legend, it was attacked by Danish invaders. The sound of a wolf roused a sentry, however, who alerted his garrison, which forced a Viking retreat. This led to the wolf being adopted as a symbol of the town as is shown on the 1511 Stirling Jug. The area is today known as Wolfcraig. Even today the wolf appears with a goshawk on the council's coat of arms along with the recently chosen motto: "Steadfast as
484-545: A company making baby carriages was set up. These prams were exported to Canada, South America, India and South Africa. The Princes Street drill hall was completed in 1908 and the Municipal Buildings , which formed the headquarters of Stirling Burgh Council for much of the 20th century, were completed in 1918. After the blockades of the World Wars there was some increase in the use of the port including
605-587: 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. In the service sector, financial services as well as tourism are the biggest employers. The financial services and insurance company Scottish Amicable Life Assurance , now part of Prudential , established
726-572: A congregation of English exiles in Frankfurt to become one of their ministers. He accepted the call with Calvin's blessing. But no sooner had he arrived than he found himself in a conflict. The first set of refugees to arrive in Frankfurt had subscribed to a reformed liturgy and used a modified version of the Book of Common Prayer . More recently arrived refugees, however, including Edmund Grindal ,
847-666: A copy of The Book of Common Order , translated into Scots Gaelic by John Carswell. It is the first book printed in any Gaelic language. On his return to Scotland, Knox led the Protestant Reformation in Scotland, in partnership with the Scottish Protestant nobility . The movement may be seen as a revolution since it led to the ousting of Mary of Guise, who governed the country in the name of her young daughter Mary, Queen of Scots . Knox helped write
968-533: A dispute. In the early 19th century an "exceedingly low" cost steamboat service used to run between Stirling and Newhaven or Granton . The coming of the railways in 1848 started the decline of the river traffic, not least because the Alloa Swing Bridge downstream restricted access for shipping. The railways did provide opportunity too with one Riverside company selling their reaping machines as far afield as Syria and Australia. Similarly, in 1861,
1089-479: A half and two years old. John Calvin, who had lost his own wife in 1549, wrote a letter of condolence. Parliament reconvened on 15 January 1561 to consider the Book of Discipline . The Kirk was to be run on democratic lines. Each congregation was free to choose or reject its own pastor, but once he was chosen he could not be fired. Each parish was to be self-supporting, as far as possible. The bishops were replaced by ten to twelve " superintendents ". The plan included
1210-505: A huge brooch clasps Highlands and Lowlands together". Similarly "he who holds Stirling, holds Scotland" is sometimes attributed to Robert the Bruce . Stirling's key position as the lowest bridging point of the River Forth before it broadens towards the Firth of Forth made it a focal point for travel north or south. When Stirling was temporarily under Anglo-Saxon sway, according to
1331-465: A large and base at Craigforth on the outskirts of Stirling in the 1970s. In terms of tourism, the presence of such historical monuments as Stirling Castle and the Wallace Monument and other nearby attractions like Blair Drummond Safari Park has bolstered Stirling's position as a significant tourist destination in Scotland. The University of Stirling and Stirling Council are two of
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#17327879739941452-629: A new order of service, The Forme of Prayers, which was eventually adopted by the Reformed Church in Scotland and came to be known as the Book of Common Order . He left Geneva to head the English refugee church in Frankfurt but he was forced to leave over differences concerning the liturgy , thus ending his association with the Church of England. The University of Edinburgh Heritage Collection holds
1573-613: A non-Scots identity was retained in Stirling for some time after inclusion into the land controlled by the King of Scots. The second motto is: It has been claimed that the "Bridge" seal was regarded as the Burgh seal proper, the "Castle" seal being simply a reverse, used when the seal was affixed by a lace to a charter. This agrees with a description in an official publication (which spells Bruti with only one letter t). Clearer images are available with different lettering. Sibbald conflated
1694-415: A place called urbs Giudi ("the town of Giudi "). Although its location is not certain, a 2023 study found that "Stirling is the location of urbs Giudi favoured by most scholars", and itself supported this identification. This name is thought etymologically to be Celtic. The ninth-century Historia Brittonum mentions a similar-looking battle-site called urbs Iudeu , which many scholars have assumed
1815-486: A royal chaplain. He exerted a reforming influence on the text of the Book of Common Prayer . In England, he met and married his first wife, Margery Bowes. When Mary I ascended the throne of England and re-established Catholicism , Knox was forced to resign his position and leave the country. Knox moved to Geneva and then to Frankfurt . In Geneva, he met John Calvin , from whom he gained experience and knowledge of Reformed theology and Presbyterian polity . He created
1936-822: A sermon denouncing certain celebrations which Knox had interpreted as rejoicing at the expense of the Reformation. She charged that Knox spoke irreverently of the Queen in order to make her appear contemptible to her subjects. After Knox gave an explanation of the sermon, Mary stated that she did not blame Knox for the differences of opinion and asked that in the future he come to her directly if he heard anything about her that he disliked. Despite her gesture, Knox replied that he would continue to voice his convictions in his sermons and would not wait upon her. During Easter in 1563, some priests in Ayrshire celebrated Mass, thus defying
2057-703: A sign of his abjuration. He then took refuge in Germany and Switzerland. While on the Continent , he translated the First Helvetic Confession into English. He returned to Scotland in 1544, but the timing of his return was unfortunate. In December 1543, James Hamilton, Duke of Châtellerault , the appointed regent for the infant Mary, Queen of Scots , had decided with the Queen Mother, Mary of Guise , and Cardinal David Beaton to persecute
2178-737: A small French army. She dispatched the Earl of Argyll and Lord Moray to offer terms and avert a war. She promised not to send any French troops into Perth if the Protestants evacuated the town. The Protestants agreed, but when the Queen Regent entered Perth, she garrisoned it with Scottish soldiers on the French payroll. This was seen as treacherous by Lord Argyll and Lord Moray, who both switched sides and joined Knox, who now based himself in St Andrews . Knox's return to St Andrews fulfilled
2299-493: 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 had been storing munitions; only the tower survived and can be seen to this day. The castle and
2420-511: A system of national education based on universality as a fundamental principle. Certain areas of law were placed under ecclesiastical authority. The Parliament did not approve the plan, however, mainly for reasons of finance. The Kirk was to be financed out of the patrimony of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland. Much of this was now in the hands of the nobles, who were reluctant to give up their possessions. A final decision on
2541-420: A tea trade with India. However, with normal shipping lanes open, the growth of the railways including The Forth Rail Bridge , left the harbour uneconomical and by the mid 20th century the port had ceased to operate. In terms of local government , the city of Stirling is a part of the wider Stirling Council area , which is based at Old Viewforth and governs on matters of local administration as set out by
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#17327879739942662-541: A variety of exhibitions and performances. There are many events at the Stirling Tolbooth and at The Albert Halls . Stirling has hosted the National Mòd several times: in 1909, 1961, 1971 and 1987. There are currently about 20 churches in the city. These include: Church of Scotland Roman Catholic Other churches Islam With Stirling's development as a market town and its location as
2783-445: A weather-dependent ferry or seasonal ford ) until the construction of the Alloa Swing Bridge between Throsk and Alloa in 1885. The city has two Latin mottoes, which appeared on the earliest burgh seal of which an impression of 1296 is on record. The first alludes to the story as recorded by Boece who relates that in 855 Scotland was invaded by two Northumbrian princes, Osbrecht and Ella . They united their forces with
2904-696: A week, each lasting well over two hours. The services used a liturgy that was derived by Knox and other ministers from Calvin's Formes des Prières Ecclésiastiques . The church in which he preached, the Église de Notre Dame la Neuve —now known as the Auditoire de Calvin —had been granted by the municipal authorities, at Calvin's request, for the use of the English and Italian congregations. Knox's two sons, Nathaniel and Eleazar, were born in Geneva, with Whittingham and Myles Coverdale their respective godfathers. In
3025-565: A week, however, he was giving his first sermon to a congregation that included his old teacher, John Major . He expounded on the seventh chapter of the Book of Daniel , comparing the Pope with the Antichrist . His sermon was marked by his consideration of the Bible as his sole authority and the doctrine of justification by faith alone , two elements that would remain in his thoughts throughout
3146-551: Is currently called Wallstale Dun on the southern end of Touchadam Craig, and Gillies Hill fort on the northwest end of the craig. The Wallstale structure is later than the Gillies Hill fort and is related in form to brochs, these appear to coincide with the Roman period and there are around 40 or so in the wider area. South of the city, the King's Park prehistoric carvings can still be found. Its other notable geographic feature
3267-418: Is its proximity to the lowest site of subjugation of the River Forth. Control of the bridge brought military advantage in times of unrest and excise duty, or pontage dues, in peacetime. Unsurprisingly excise men were installed in a covered booth in the centre of the bridge to collect tax from any entering the royal burgh with goods. Stirling remained the river's lowest reliable crossing point (that is, without
3388-710: Is mentioned with that city in Stirling Council's minutes of 1560. Around John Cowane 's time there is an account which states there were about 30,000 Scots families living in Poland although that was possibly an exaggeration. Trade with the Baltic also took place such as a timber trade with Norway. After the Jacobite threat had faded but before the railways were established, the Highland cattle drovers would use
3509-570: The Dowager Queen of Scotland and regent on behalf of her daughter, Mary, Queen of Scots . This biblical position was not unusual in Knox's day; however, even he was aware that the pamphlet was dangerously seditious. He therefore published it anonymously and did not tell Calvin, who denied knowledge of it until a year after its publication, that he had written it. In England, the pamphlet was officially condemned by royal proclamation. The impact of
3630-656: 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
3751-772: The Heart of Scotland . The Stirling seal has only the second part, in a slightly different form: Apparently the Latin is not first rate having four syllables in "cruce tuti" but the meaning seems to be that the Lowland Strathclyde Britons on the southern shore and the Highland Pictish Scots on the northern shore stand protected from each other by their common Christianity. A more modern translation suggests that rather than Briton, bruit might be better read as brute, i.e. brute Scots, implying
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3872-625: The House of Commons of the parliament of the United Kingdom by first past the post system. Chris Kane of the Labour Party has been the MP for Stirling and Strathallan since the 2024 general election , when the seat was first contested - prior to this, Stirling was part of the constituency of Stirling . Historical voting records can be found in online databases. Stirling is renowned as
3993-484: The Kingdom of Scotland , Stirling was created a royal burgh by King David I in 1130. In 2002, as part of Queen Elizabeth 's Golden Jubilee , Stirling was granted city status . Stirling's name appears as Strivelin(g) in early sources, later becoming Stirveling and finally Stirling . Its meaning, and even its language of origin, are a matter of debate. In 1930, J. B. Johnston's Place-Names of Scotland suggested
4114-680: The Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994 . The current members of the Council were voted in 2017 for a term of office of 5 years. The May 2017 local government election resulted in the Scottish Conservative party and Scottish National Party each winning nine councillors, while the Labour Party won four seats and the Scottish Green Party won one. However, subsequently one Conservative councillor left
4235-557: The Scottish Church . He was caught up in the ecclesiastical and political events that involved the murder of Cardinal David Beaton in 1546 and the intervention of the regent Mary of Guise . He was taken prisoner by French forces the following year and exiled to England on his release in 1549. While in exile, Knox was licensed to work in the Church of England , where he rose in the ranks to serve King Edward VI of England as
4356-684: The Scottish Parliament met to settle religious issues. Knox and five other ministers, all called John, were called upon to draw up a new confession of faith . Within four days, the Scots Confession was presented to Parliament, voted upon, and approved. A week later, the Parliament passed three acts in one day: the first abolished the jurisdiction of the Pope in Scotland, the second condemned all doctrine and practice contrary to
4477-588: The Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela on 21 June 2012 and on a BBC Scotland Christmas Eve (2012) Special in Stirling's Holy Rude Church . Stirling Stirling ( / ˈ s t ɜːr l ɪ ŋ / ; Scots : Stirlin ; Scottish Gaelic : Sruighlea [ˈs̪t̪ɾuʝlə] ) is a city in central Scotland , 26 miles (42 km) northeast of Glasgow and 37 miles (60 km) north-west of Edinburgh . The market town , surrounded by rich farmland, grew up connecting
4598-644: The Stirling Old Bridge in 1297 and at the nearby village of Bannockburn in 1314 involving Andrew Moray and William Wallace , and Robert the Bruce respectively. After the Battle of Stirling Bridge , Moray and Wallace wrote to Hanseatic League leaders in Lübeck and Hamburg to encourage trade between Scottish and German ports. There were also several Sieges of Stirling Castle in the conflict, notably in 1304. Another important historical site in
4719-586: The Stirling Sill , a major defensive position which was 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 peak in the range being Ben Cleuch , although Dumyat is more noticeable from Stirling. The Ochils meet the flat carse ( floodplain ) of
4840-643: The Treaty of Berwick , support from England finally arrived and by the end of March, a significant English army joined the Scottish Protestant forces. The sudden death of Mary of Guise in Edinburgh Castle on 10 June 1560 paved the way for an end to hostilities, the signing of the Treaty of Edinburgh , and the withdrawal of French and English troops from Scotland. On 19 July, Knox held a National Thanksgiving Service at St Giles'. On 1 August,
4961-531: The University of Glasgow . He studied under John Major , one of the greatest scholars of the time. Knox was ordained a Catholic priest in Edinburgh on Easter Eve of 1536 by William Chisholm , Bishop of Dunblane . Knox first appears in public records as a priest and a notary in 1540. He was still serving in these capacities as late as 1543 when he described himself as a "minister of the sacred altar in
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5082-804: The Wars of the Three Kingdoms are clearly visible on the tower and apse of the church. Economically, the city's port supported foreign trade, historically doing significant trade in the Low Countries , particularly with Bruges in Belgium and Veere in the Netherlands. In the 16th century there were so many Scots in Danzig in Prussia that they had their own church congregation and trade
5203-461: The Auld Brig on their way to market at Falkirk or Stenhousemuir . Three times a year, tens of thousands of cattle, sheep and ponies were moved together to the trysts in the south with some drovers going as far as Carlisle or even London's Smithfield . There is a record of a four-mile long tailback (of livestock) developing from St. Ninians to Bridge of Allan after a St. Ninians tollman had
5324-560: The Cumbrian Britons in order to defeat the Scots. Having secured Stirling castle, they built the first stone bridge over the Forth. On the top they reportedly raised a crucifix with the inscription: "Anglos, a Scotis separat, crux ista remotis; Arma hic stant Bruti; stant Scoti hac sub cruce tuti." Bellenden translated this loosely as "I am free marche , as passengers may ken, To Scottis, to Britonis, and to Inglismen." It may be
5445-467: The Guildry and Council. In 2014 the tradition was revived after an official abeyance of several years. There are about sixteen libraries and two mobile libraries in Stirling. The Smith Art Gallery and Museum is now free to tourists and residents alike. Shearer's 1895 Penny Guide to Stirling and Neighbourhood used to list it under "How to spend a few hours on a wet day". The Macrobert Arts Centre has
5566-413: The Protestant faith, but perhaps the key formative influences on Knox were Patrick Hamilton and George Wishart . Wishart was a reformer who had fled Scotland in 1538 to escape punishment for heresy. He first moved to England, where in Bristol he preached against the veneration of the Virgin Mary . He was forced to make a public recantation and was burned in effigy at the Church of St Nicholas as
5687-425: The Protestant sect that had taken root in Scotland. Wishart travelled throughout Scotland preaching in favour of the Reformation , and when he arrived in East Lothian , Knox became one of his closest associates. Knox acted as his bodyguard, bearing a two-handed sword in order to defend him. In December 1545, Wishart was seized on Beaton's orders by the Earl of Bothwell and taken to the Castle of St Andrews . Knox
5808-487: The Protestants responded by retaking Edinburgh. This time, on 24 October 1559, the Scottish nobility formally deposed Mary of Guise from the regency. Her secretary, William Maitland of Lethington , defected to the Protestant side, bringing his administrative skills. From then on, Maitland took over the political tasks, freeing Knox for the role of religious leader. For the final stage of the revolution, Maitland appealed to Scottish patriotism to fight French domination. Following
5929-425: The River Forth to the east of the distinctive geographical feature of Abbey Craig , a crag and tail hill upon which stands the 220 ft (67 m) high National Wallace Monument . Top of the Town consists of Broad Street, Castle Wynd, Ballengeich Pass, Lower Castle Hill Road, Darnley Street, Baker Street (formerly Baxters St), St John Street and St Mary's Wynd. These streets all lead up to Stirling Castle and are
6050-424: The Rock". Once the capital of Scotland, Stirling is visually dominated by Stirling Castle . Stirling also has a medieval parish church, the Church of the Holy Rude , where, on 29 July 1567, the infant James VI was anointed King of Scots by Adam Bothwell , the Bishop of Orkney , with the service concluding after a sermon by John Knox . The poet King was educated by George Buchanan and grew up in Stirling. He
6171-465: The Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the first past the post system of election, and the region elects seven additional members to produce a form of proportional representation. The constituency's Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) is Evelyn Tweed of the Scottish National Party (SNP). In terms of national government, the city of Stirling forms part of the county constituency of Stirling and Strathallan , electing one Member of Parliament (MP) to
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#17327879739946292-405: The Scottish average of 18.6%. Historical records also exist both in book form and in online databases. Walking the Marches is a custom probably started in the 12th century. The only way the town's boundaries could be protected was to walk round inspecting them annually. The walk was followed by a dinner. This was traditionally done by the Birlaw men made up from members of the Seven Trades,
6413-432: The Swiss reformer Heinrich Bullinger in Zurich . Bullinger's responses were equally cautious, but Knox had already made up his mind. On 20 July 1554, he published a pamphlet attacking Mary Tudor and the bishops who had brought her to the throne. He also attacked the Holy Roman Emperor , Charles V , calling him "no less enemy to Christ than was Nero". In a letter dated 24 September 1554, Knox received an invitation from
6534-409: The area is the ruins of Cambuskenneth Abbey , the resting place of King James III of Scotland and his queen, Margaret of Denmark . The king died at the Battle of Sauchieburn by forces nominally led by his son and successor James IV . During the Wars of the Three Kingdoms , the Battle of Stirling also took place in the centre of Stirling on 12 September 1648. The fortifications continued to play
6655-533: The assumed name John Sinclair with William Cecil , Elizabeth's chief adviser, for English support. Knox sailed secretly to Lindisfarne , off the northeast coast of England at the end of July, to meet James Croft and Sir Henry Percy at Berwick upon Tweed . Knox was indiscreet and news of his mission soon reached Mary of Guise. He returned to Edinburgh telling Croft he had to return to his flock, and suggested that Henry Balnaves should go to Cecil. When additional French troops arrived in Leith , Edinburgh's seaport,
6776-416: The authority of the Bishop of London , Nicholas Ridley . Knox returned to London in order to deliver a sermon before the King and the Court during Lent and he again refused to take the assigned post. Knox was then told to preach in Buckinghamshire and he remained there until Edward's death on 6 July. Edward's successor, Mary Tudor , re-established Roman Catholicism in England and restored the Mass in all
6897-409: The best place of asylum for Protestants. In one letter he wrote: I neither fear nor eschame to say, is the most perfect school of Christ that ever was in the earth since the days of the apostles. In other places I confess Christ to be truly preached; but manners and religion so sincerely reformed, I have not yet seen in any other place ... Knox led a busy life in Geneva. He preached three sermons
7018-528: 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. Mauchline ware started producing wooden snuff-boxes in 1790 in Mauchline , Ayrshire. They were produced of the wood from the trees from the Castle craig. Today they are highly collectible. John Knox Christianity • Protestantism John Knox ( c. 1514 – 24 November 1572)
7139-453: The bishops decided to call the hearing off. Knox was now free to preach openly in Edinburgh. William Keith, the Earl Marischal , was impressed and urged Knox to write to the Queen Regent. Knox's unusually respectful letter urged her to support the Reformation and overthrow the church hierarchy. Queen Mary took the letter as a joke and ignored it. Shortly after Knox sent the letter to the Queen Regent, he suddenly announced that he felt his duty
7260-439: The castle and eventually their families and friends took refuge with them, about a hundred and fifty men in all. Among their friends was Henry Balnaves , a former secretary of state in the government, who negotiated with England for the financial support of the rebels. Douglas and Cockburn suggested to Knox to take their sons to the relative safety of the castle to continue their instruction in reformed doctrine, and Knox arrived at
7381-405: The castle on 10 April 1547. Knox's powers as a preacher came to the attention of the chaplain of the garrison, John Rough . While Rough was preaching in the parish church on the Protestant principle of the popular election of a pastor, he proposed Knox to the congregation for that office. Knox did not relish the idea. According to his own account, he burst into tears and fled to his room. Within
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#17327879739947502-402: The church are shown on Blaeu 's map of 1654 which was derived from Pont 's earlier map. Standing near the castle, the Church of the Holy Rude is one of the town's most historically important buildings. Founded in 1129 it is the second oldest building in the city after Stirling castle. It was rebuilt in the 15th-century after Stirling suffered a catastrophic fire in 1405, and is reputed to be
7623-400: The churches. With the country no longer safe for Protestant preachers, Knox left for the Continent in January 1554 on the advice of friends. On the eve of his flight, he wrote: Sometime I have thought that impossible it had been, so to have removed my affection from the realm of Scotland, that any realm or nation could have been equal dear to me. But God I take to record in my conscience, that
7744-455: The city bypass to the east of Stirling. A major new regeneration project on the site of the former port area and the 40-acre (160,000 m ) 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 Forthside Bridge . The development comprises retail, residential and commercial elements, including
7865-478: The city come from the area around Cambusbarron . It had been thought that the Randolphfield standing stones were more than 3000 years old but recent radiocarbon dating suggests they may date from the time of Bruce. The earliest known structures in Stirling are now destroyed but comprised two Neolithic Cursus in Bannockburn. The earliest known surviving structure is a fort on Gillies Hill built by Iron Age people over 2000 years ago. Two structures are known: what
7986-405: 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 , known as
8107-399: The cooling effects of the North Sea and the Firth of Clyde . The settlement of Stirling had a population of 48,440 in 2012. 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 16s, at 16.7% compared to the Scottish average of 19.2%, and a smaller proportion of those of pensionable age: 17.8% – compared to
8228-440: The current state of religion and that her servants should not be molested or troubled. Many nobles accepted this, but not Knox. The following Sunday, he protested from the pulpit of St Giles'. As a result, just two weeks after her return, Mary summoned Knox. She accused him of inciting a rebellion against her mother and of writing a book against her own authority. Knox answered that as long as her subjects found her rule convenient, he
8349-410: The day without a change of posture while an officer watched over them with a whip in hand. They sailed to France and navigated up the Seine to Rouen . The nobles, some of whom would have a bearing on Knox's later life such as William Kirkcaldy and Henry Balnaves, were sent to various castle-prisons in France. Knox and the other galley slaves continued to Nantes and stayed on the Loire throughout
8470-402: The diocese of St Andrews, notary by apostolic authority" in a notarial deed dated 27 March. Rather than taking up parochial duties in a parish, he became tutor to two sons of Hugh Douglas of Longniddry . He also taught the son of John Cockburn of Ormiston . Both of these lairds had embraced the new religious ideas of the Reformation . Knox did not record when or how he was converted to
8591-410: The document was complicated later that year when Elizabeth Tudor , a Protestant, became Queen of England. Although Knox had not targeted Elizabeth, he had deeply offended her, and she never forgave him. With a Protestant on the throne, the English refugees in Geneva prepared to return home. Knox himself decided to return to Scotland. Before his departure, various honours were conferred on him, including
8712-603: The favourite haunt of tourists who stop off at the Old Town Jail, Mar's Wark , Argyll's Lodging and the castle. Ballengeich Pass leads to the graveyard at Ballengeich and the Castle Wynd winds past the old graveyard. The Top of the Town from Broad Street upwards is renowned for its cobblestoned roads, and cars can be heard rattling over the cobblestones on the way down. Craft shops and tourist-focused shops are evident on
8833-455: The firebrand preacher, but he saw Knox as a potential asset. Knox was asked to come to London to preach before the Court. In his first sermon, he advocated a change for the 1552 Book of Common Prayer . The liturgy required worshippers to kneel during communion . Knox and the other chaplains considered this to be idolatry . It triggered a debate where Archbishop Cranmer was called upon to defend
8954-534: 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
9075-587: The freedom of the city of Geneva. Knox left in January 1559, but he did not arrive in Scotland until 2 May 1559, owing to Elizabeth's refusal to issue him a passport through England. Two days after Knox arrived in Edinburgh, he proceeded to Dundee where a large number of Protestant sympathisers had gathered. Knox was declared an outlaw, and the Queen Regent summoned the Protestants to Stirling . Fearing
9196-414: The future Archbishop of Canterbury, favoured a stricter application of the book. When Knox and a supporting colleague, William Whittingham , wrote to Calvin for advice, they were told to avoid contention. Knox therefore agreed on a temporary order of service based on a compromise between the two sides. This delicate balance was disturbed when a new batch of refugees arrived that included Richard Cox , one of
9317-425: The king of France, Henry II to intervene. On 29 June 1547, 21 French galleys approached St Andrews under the command of Leone Strozzi , prior of Capua . The French besieged the castle and forced the surrender of the garrison on 31 July. The Protestant nobles and others, including Knox, were taken prisoner and forced to row in the French galleys. The galley slaves were chained to benches and rowed throughout
9438-571: The landmark. He replied that he knew it well, recognising the steeple of the place where he first preached and he declared that he would not die until he had preached there again. In February 1549, after spending a total of 19 months in the galley-prison, Knox was released. It is uncertain how he obtained his liberty. Later in the year, Henry II arranged with Edward VI of England the release of all remaining Castilian prisoners. On his release, Knox took refuge in England. The Reformation in England
9559-597: The law. Some Protestants tried to enforce the law themselves by apprehending these priests. This prompted Mary to summon Knox for the third time. She asked Knox to use his influence to promote religious toleration. He defended their actions and noted she was bound to uphold the laws and if she did not, others would. Mary surprised Knox by agreeing that the priests would be brought to justice. The most dramatic interview between Mary and Knox took place on 24 June 1563. Mary summoned Knox to Holyrood after hearing that he had been preaching against her proposed marriage to Don Carlos ,
9680-673: The marriage. Towards the end of 1550, Knox was appointed a preacher of St Nicholas' Church in Newcastle upon Tyne . The following year he was appointed one of the six royal chaplains serving the King. On 16 October 1551, John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland , overthrew the Duke of Somerset to become the new regent of the young King. Knox condemned the coup d'état in a sermon on All Saints Day . When Dudley visited Newcastle and listened to his preaching in June 1552, he had mixed feelings about
9801-403: The meantime, Elizabeth Bowes wrote to Knox, asking him to return to Margery in Scotland, which he did at the end of August. Despite initial doubts about the state of the Reformation in Scotland, Knox found the country significantly changed since he was carried off in the galley in 1547. When he toured various parts of Scotland preaching the reformed doctrines and liturgy, he was welcomed by many of
9922-539: The mob had already sacked the churches and the friaries. On 1 July, Knox preached from the pulpit of St Giles' , the most influential in the capital. The Lords of the Congregation negotiated their withdrawal from Edinburgh by the Articles of Leith signed 25 July 1559, and Mary of Guise promised freedom of conscience. Knox knew that the Queen Regent would ask for help from France, so he negotiated by letter under
10043-433: The murder of her husband Lord Darnley , and King James VI was enthroned in her stead, Knox openly called for her execution. He continued to preach until his final days. John Knox was born sometime between 1505 and 1515 in or near Haddington , the county town of East Lothian . His father, William Knox, was a merchant. All that is known of his mother is that her maiden name was Sinclair and that she died when John Knox
10164-487: The new confession of faith and the ecclesiastical order for the newly created Reformed Church, the Kirk . He wrote his five-volume The History of the Reformation in Scotland between 1559 and 1566. He continued to serve as the religious leader of the Protestants throughout Mary's reign. In several interviews with the Queen, Knox admonished her for supporting Catholic practices. After she was imprisoned for her alleged role in
10285-421: The nobility including two future regents of Scotland, the Earl of Moray and the Earl of Mar . Though the Queen Regent, Mary of Guise , made no move against Knox, his activities caused concern among the church authorities. The bishops of Scotland viewed him as a threat to their authority and summoned him to appear in Edinburgh on 15 May 1556. He was accompanied to the trial by so many influential persons that
10406-460: The only surviving church in the United Kingdom apart from Westminster Abbey to have held a coronation. On 29 July 1567 the infant son of Mary, Queen of Scots , was anointed James VI of Scotland in the church. James' bride, Anne of Denmark was crowned in the church at Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh. The Holy Rude congregation still meet and some 19th century parish records survive. Musket shot marks that may come from Cromwell 's troops during
10527-614: The party to sit as an Independent. The Provost of Stirling is Cllr Christine Simpson. For the purposes of the Scottish Parliament , the city of Stirling forms part of the Stirling constituency of the Scottish Parliament constituency. The Stirling Scottish Parliament (or Holyrood ) constituency created in 1999 is one of nine within the Mid Scotland and Fife electoral region. Each constituency elects one Member of
10648-471: The picture was pushed up to his face, the prisoner seized the picture and threw it into the sea, saying, "Let our Lady now save herself: she is light enough: let her learn to swim." After that, according to Knox, the Scottish prisoners were no longer forced to perform such devotions. In summer 1548, the galleys returned to Scotland to scout for English ships. Knox's health was now at its lowest point due to
10769-467: The plan was delayed because of the impending return of Mary, Queen of Scots . On 19 August 1561, cannons were fired in Leith to announce Queen Mary's arrival in Scotland. When she attended Mass being celebrated in the royal chapel at Holyrood Palace five days later, this prompted a protest in which one of her servants was jostled. The next day she issued a proclamation that there would be no alteration in
10890-561: The possibility of a summary trial and execution, the Protestants proceeded instead to Perth , a walled town that could be defended in case of a siege. At the church of St John the Baptist , Knox preached a fiery sermon and a small incident precipitated into a riot. A mob poured into the church and it was soon gutted. The mob then attacked two friaries ( Blackfriars and Greyfriars ) in the town, looting their gold and silver and smashing images. Mary of Guise gathered those nobles loyal to her and
11011-510: The practice. The result was a compromise in which the famous Black Rubric , which declared that no adoration is intended while kneeling, was included in the second edition. Soon afterwards, Dudley, who saw Knox as a useful political tool, offered him the bishopric of Rochester . Knox refused, and he returned to Newcastle. On 2 February 1553 Cranmer was ordered to appoint Knox as vicar of All Hallows, Bread Street , in London, placing him under
11132-555: The principal authors of the Book of Common Prayer . Cox brought Knox's pamphlet attacking the emperor to the attention of the Frankfurt authorities, who advised that Knox leave. His departure from Frankfurt on 26 March 1555 marked his final breach with the Church of England. After his return to Geneva, Knox was chosen to be the minister at a new place of worship petitioned from Calvin. As such, he exerted an influence on French Protestants, whether they were exiled in Geneva or in France. In
11253-483: The prophecy he made in the galleys that he would one day preach again in its church. When he did give a sermon, the effect was the same as in Perth. The people engaged in vandalism and looting. In June 1559, a Protestant mob incited by the preaching of John Knox ransacked the cathedral; the interior of the building was destroyed. The cathedral fell into decline following the attack and became a source of building material for
11374-524: The reformed faith, and the third forbade the celebration of Mass in Scotland. Before the dissolution of Parliament, Knox and the other ministers were given the task of organising the newly reformed church or the Kirk . They would work for several months on the Book of Discipline , the document describing the organisation of the new church. During this period, in December 1560, Knox's wife, Margery, died, leaving Knox to care for their two sons, aged three and
11495-514: The rest of his life. A few days later, a debate was staged that allowed him to lay down additional theses including the rejection of the Mass , Purgatory , and prayers for the dead . John Knox's chaplaincy of the castle garrison was not to last long. While Hamilton was willing to negotiate with England to stop their support of the rebels and bring the castle back under his control, Mary of Guise decided that it could be taken only by force and requested
11616-459: The royal citadel , the medieval old town with its merchants and tradesmen, the Old Bridge and the port. Located on the River Forth , Stirling is the administrative centre for the Stirling council area, and is traditionally the county town and historic county of Stirlingshire . Proverbially it is the strategically important "Gateway to the Highlands". It has been said that "Stirling, like
11737-486: The scholar Michael Servetus , although Calvin himself was not capable of voting for or against a civil penalty against Servetus. Knox asked Calvin four difficult political questions: whether a minor could rule by divine right, whether a female could rule and transfer sovereignty to her husband, whether people should obey ungodly or idolatrous rulers, and what party godly persons should follow if they resisted an idolatrous ruler. Calvin gave cautious replies and referred him to
11858-431: The severity of his confinement. He was ill with a fever and others on the ship were afraid for his life. Even in this state, Knox recalled, his mind remained sharp and he comforted his fellow prisoners with hopes of release. While the ships were lying offshore between St Andrews and Dundee , the spires of the parish church where he preached appeared in view. James Balfour , a fellow prisoner, asked Knox whether he recognised
11979-502: The son of Philip II of Spain . Mary began by scolding Knox, then she burst into tears. "What have ye to do with my marriage?" she asked, and "What are ye within this commonwealth?" "A subject born within the same, Madam," Knox replied. He noted that though he was not of noble birth, he had the same duty as any subject to warn of dangers to the realm. When Mary started to cry again, he said, "Madam, in God's presence I speak: I never delighted in
12100-411: The start of the 19th century. The real expansion came in the middle of the 20th century, when council housing replaced decrepit housing in the old town. Perhaps one of the most notable people to have come from the district is football legend Billy Bremner , who also attended the local St. Mary's Roman Catholic primary school. A more recent football star from Raploch is David Goodwillie . The Raploch
12221-513: The stone cross was a tripoint for the three kingdom's borders or marches ; the cross functioning both as a dividing territorial marker, and as a uniting witness stone like in the Bible story in Joshua 22. " Angles and Scots here demarked, By this cross kept apart. Brits and Scots armed stand near, By this cross stand safe here." This would make the cross on the centre of the first stone bridge
12342-523: The summer of 1558, Knox published his best-known pamphlet, The first blast of the trumpet against the monstruous regiment of women . In calling the "regimen" or rule of women "monstruous", he meant that it was "unnatural". Knox states that his purpose was to demonstrate "how abominable before God is the Empire or Rule of a wicked woman, yea, of a traiteresse and bastard". The women rulers that Knox had in mind were Queen Mary I of England and Mary of Guise ,
12463-501: The town. By 1561 it had been abandoned and left to fall into ruin. With Protestant reinforcements arriving from neighbouring counties, the Queen Regent retreated to Dunbar . By now, the mob fury had spilled over central Scotland. Her own troops were on the verge of mutiny. On 30 June, the Protestant Lords of the Congregation occupied Edinburgh, though they were able to hold it for only a month. But even before their arrival,
12584-517: The troubles present (and appearing to be) in the realm of England are double more dolorous unto my heart than ever were the troubles of Scotland. Knox disembarked in Dieppe , France, and continued to Geneva , where John Calvin had established his authority. When Knox arrived Calvin was in a difficult position. He had recently overseen the Company of Pastors, which prosecuted charges of heresy against
12705-438: The two mottos into a single rhyme; he gave no indication that he was aware of Boece's work. Stirling was first declared a royal burgh by King David in the 12th century, with later charters reaffirmed by subsequent monarchs. A ferry, and later bridge, on the River Forth at Stirling brought wealth and strategic influence, as did its tidal port at Riverside. Major battles during the Wars of Scottish Independence took place at
12826-479: The way up and once at the top, panoramic views are available across Stirling and beyond. All areas Historical place names for Stirling town in 1858–61 were compiled by O.S. map makers. Like most of the United Kingdom , Stirling has an oceanic climate ( Köppen Cfb ) with mild summers and cool, wet winters. Stirling has some of the warmest summers in all of Scotland, being relatively far away from
12947-410: The weeping of any of God's creatures; yea I can scarcely well abide the tears of my own boys whom my own hand corrects, much less can I rejoice in your Majesty's weeping." He added that he would rather endure her tears, however, than remain silent and "betray my Commonwealth". At this, Mary ordered him out of the room. Knox's final encounter with Mary was prompted by an incident at Holyrood. While Mary
13068-469: The winter. They were threatened with torture if they did not give proper signs of reverence when mass was performed on the ship. Knox recounted an incident in which one of the prisoners—possibly himself, as Knox tended to narrate personal anecdotes in the third person—was required to show devotion to a picture of the Virgin Mary. The prisoner was told to give it a kiss of veneration . He refused and when
13189-538: Was a Scottish minister , Reformed theologian , and writer who was a leader of the country's Reformation . He was the founder of the Church of Scotland . Born in Giffordgate, a street in Haddington, East Lothian , Knox is believed to have been educated at the University of St Andrews and worked as a notary-priest. Influenced by early church reformers such as George Wishart , he joined the movement to reform
13310-467: Was a child. Their eldest son, William, carried on his father's business, which helped in Knox's international communications. Knox was probably educated at the grammar school in Haddington . At this time, the priesthood was the only path for those whose inclinations were academic rather than mercantile or agricultural. He proceeded to further studies at the University of St Andrews or possibly at
13431-600: Was a descendant of an old Durham family and her mother, Elizabeth Aske , was an heiress of a Yorkshire family, the Askes of Richmondshire . Elizabeth presumably met Knox when he was employed in Berwick. Several letters reveal a close friendship between them. It is not recorded when Knox married Margery Bowes. Knox attempted to obtain the consent of the Bowes family, but her father and her brother Robert Bowes were opposed to
13552-478: Was a less radical movement than its Continental counterparts, but there was a definite breach with Rome. The Archbishop of Canterbury , Thomas Cranmer , and the regent of King Edward VI , the Duke of Somerset , were decidedly Protestant-minded. However, much work remained to bring reformed ideas to the clergy and to the people. On 7 April 1549, Knox was licensed to work in the Church of England . His first commission
13673-451: Was absent from Edinburgh on her summer progress in 1563, a crowd forced its way into her private chapel as Mass was being celebrated. During the altercation, the priest's life was threatened. As a result, two of the ringleaders, burgesses of Edinburgh, were scheduled for trial on 24 October 1563. In order to defend these men, Knox sent out letters calling the nobles to convene. Mary obtained one of these letters and asked her advisors if this
13794-726: Was in Berwick-upon-Tweed . He was obliged to use the recently released 1549 Book of Common Prayer , which maintained the structure of the Sarum Rite while adapting the content to the doctrine of the reformed Church of England. Knox, however, modified its use to accord with the doctrinal emphases of the Continental reformers. In the pulpit, he preached Protestant doctrines with great effect as his congregation grew. In England, Knox met his wife, Margery Bowes (died c. 1560 ). Her father, Richard Bowes (died 1558),
13915-403: Was later also crowned King of England and Ireland on 25 July 1603, bringing closer the countries of the United Kingdom. Modern Stirling is a centre for local government, higher education, tourism, retail, and industry. The mid-2012 census estimate for the population of the city is 36,440; the wider Stirling council area has a population of about 93,750. One of the principal royal strongholds of
14036-801: Was present on the night of Wishart's arrest and was prepared to follow him into captivity, but Wishart persuaded him against this course saying, "Nay, return to your bairns [children] and God bless you. One is sufficient for a sacrifice." Wishart was subsequently prosecuted by Beaton's Public Accuser of Heretics, Archdeacon John Lauder . On 1 March 1546, he was burnt at the stake in the presence of Beaton. Electors of Saxony Holy Roman Emperors Building Literature Theater Liturgies Hymnals Monuments Calendrical commemoration Knox had avoided being arrested by Lord Bothwell through Wishart's advice to return to tutoring. He took shelter with Douglas in Longniddry . Several months later he
14157-461: Was still in charge of the pupils, the sons of Douglas and Cockburn, who wearied of moving from place to place while being pursued. He toyed with the idea of fleeing to Germany and taking his pupils with him. While Knox remained a fugitive, Beaton was murdered on 29 May 1546, within his residence, the Castle of St Andrews , by a gang of five persons in revenge for Wishart's execution. The assassins seized
14278-517: Was the same as Bede's urbs Giudi , but this identification is uncertain. A stone cist , found in Coneypark Nursery in 1879, is Stirling's oldest catalogued artefact. Bones from the cist were radiocarbon dated and found to be over four millennia old, originating within the date range 2152 to 2021 BC. Nicknamed Torbrex Tam, the man, whose bones were discovered by workmen, died while still in his twenties. Other Bronze Age finds near
14399-517: Was the subject of a 2002 BBC Scotland documentary entitled Raploch Stories , and in a 2017 sequel Raploch Stories Revisited. Since 2004, the Raploch area has undergone a great deal of physical regeneration. In 2008 the area became the home of the UK's first El Sistema children's orchestra, called Big Noise Raploch. A children's orchestra with over 100 members, who performed with Gustavo Dudamel and
14520-421: Was to return to Geneva. In the previous year on 1 November 1555, the congregation in Geneva had elected Knox as their minister and he decided to take up the post. He wrote a final letter of advice to his supporters and left Scotland with his wife and mother-in-law. He arrived in Geneva on 13 September 1556. For the next two years, he lived a happy life in Geneva. He recommended Geneva to his friends in England as
14641-564: Was willing to accept her governance, noting that Paul the Apostle had been willing to live under Nero 's rule. Mary noted, however, that he had written against the principle of female rule itself. He responded that she should not be troubled by what had never harmed her. When Mary asked him whether subjects had a right to resist their ruler, he replied that if monarchs exceeded their lawful limits, they might be resisted, even by force. On 13 December 1562, Mary sent for Knox again after he gave
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