A Vignette of Stirling Bridge

Today, I invite you to Stirling Bridge. To look at the bridge itself, one might say, ’tis just a bridge. What an injustice this cry would be to the souls who would have called Stirling home.
Not just this bridge, but this area speaks to us through the pages of history, to tell us what we did not know. I leave this vignette of the Stirling Bridge, to my readers, who cherish history as I do.
The Stirling bridge that you see today, one you can touch, walk upon, has a vast amount of stories to share. Consider this spot the door to the past that will open up and share with you the sights and sounds of Stirling Castle.
It stretches over the Forth here at Stirling and was the first of it’s kind. It was almost the only access for wheeled carriages into the Northern Department of Scotland. It was one of the most notable public objects in the kingdom.
But it wasn’t the first bridge to cross the Forth. Pretend for a moment that this bridge you stand upon was not here. Place yourself further up the Forth.
A wooden bridge sat about a mile up the Forth. This wooden structure was probably first put in place by the Romans, and from then on would have been repaired and built upon for improvements.
One can see the image of this wooden bridge on the ancient seal of the town.
The wooden bridge would be the place marking the victory gained by Sir William Wallace, over the English who followed under Cressingham and De Warenne on September 13, 1297.
The age of the Stone Bridge is unkown, but dates as old as 1571. Archbishop Hamilton was hung from this bridge under Regent Lennox.
This is just one spot in our stories of Stirling. Look for more stories to come.

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