STIRLING, Stirliugehire, Scotland, a royal and parliamentary burgh and miulet-town, and the chief town of the county, is situated on an eminence near the right bank of the river Forth, in 56° 8' N. lat.
4° 0' W. long., distant 29 miles N.E. from Glasgow, and 36 miles N.W. from Edinburgh by road and by the Edinburgh and Glasgow and Scottish Central railways. The population in 1851 was 12,837. The town is governed by a provost and 20 councillors, 4 of whom are bailies, and unites with Culross, Dunfermline, Inverkeithing, and Quecneferry, in the return of one member to the Imperial Parliament.
A castle was early erected here, under the protection of which the town grew up; and from its commanding the passage of the Forth, soon rose into importance. Its earliest known charter as a royal burgh is dated 1119. In the 12th and 13th centuries Stirling castle was considered to be one of the four principal fortresses of the kingdom ; and it is olio of the four which are still upheld by virtue of the articles of the Union. It appears conspicuously in the history of the English wars, and was frequently the residence of the Scottish kings.
The town is irregularly laid out; a winding street, or road, not lined with houses throughout, leads to the bridge over the Forth, and by that towards Perth. The Castle Hill, a long and narrow ridge, is on the north-west side of the town, over which it rises gently, but presents a steep slope on the other sides, and is in some parts pre cipitous. The palace, built by James V., is now converted into a barrack ; and the adjacent hall, built by James III. for the meeting of the Scottish parliament, is now a riding-school. Adjoining this is the chapel royal, built by James TIT., now employed as an armoury. The castle contains a depot of arms, and is occupied by a garrison. Several new and wide streets have been opened and others much improved of late years. The town is lighted with gas. The old church, a fine building chiefly of decorated architecture, stands near the castle. It was originally the conventual church of a Gray or
Franciscan friary, founded by James IV. in 1494. The chancel was built by Cardinal Beaton. The building now forma two churches of the Establishment, called the East and West churches. There are another church of the establishment called the North church, two places of worship for the Free Church, two for the United Presbyte rians, and one each for Baptists, Independents, Reformed Presbyterians, Scottish Episcopalians, and Roman Catholics, several schools, and a savings bank. South of the Gray Friars' church is Gowane's hospital, built in 1639 ; and north of it are the ruins of a curious old house of the earls of Mar, called Mar's Work. Another old house built by Sir William Alexander, earl of Stirling, is now used as a military hospitaL The old bridge over the Forth is a structure of the 16th century ; the new bridge is more convenient. The town-house is an old building with a spire; behind it is the jaiL There are commodious corn and meat markets, and a handsome building, the Athenscum, devoted to literary purposes. There is also an extensive agricultural museum.
The chief manufactures are of tartan and tartan shawls., carpets, cotton goods, malt, and leather, There are dye-houses for yarns, rope-yards, and breweries. Considerable trade is carried on in corn, wood, coals, bricks, tiles, lima, and wool There is constant commu nication by steamers with Newhaven, Leith, and the other places on the Forth. The Secession, now merged in the United Presbyterian Church, had its origin in Stirling in the year 1733, in consequence of proceedings taken by the Established Church against Ebenezer Erskine, one of the ministers of the West church, who opposed the arbitrary proceedings of the General Assembly. There are some important charitable institutions of ancient foundation in the town.