2013 Magazine - Royal Caledonian Ball

Stirling Castle, home to the famous
Stewart Kings and Queens is one of
Scotland’s most magnificent castles.
Built strategically on a majestic crag
overlooking the Ochil Hills it has played a long
and important role in Scotland’s history.
The castle is looked after by Historic Scotland,
the Scottish Government’s heritage agency. As
the biggest operator of visitor attractions in
Scotland, Historic Scotland care for 345
properties across the country from abbeys and
cathedrals to castles and palaces.
The centrepiece of Stirling Castle is the Royal
Palace of James V of Scotland. It is an
outstanding example of Scottish Renaissance
architecture and is Britain’s most complete
Renaissance royal palace.
In 2004 Historic Scotland embarked on an
exciting and innovative £12 million renovation
project to return the interior of the palace
apartments to how they may have looked in
the 1540’s, when it was home to a young
Mary, Queen of Scots and her mother Mary
de Guise.
The refurbishment of the royal palace marked
the fourth, final and most ambitious stage in
Stirling Castle
The Restoration of a Renaissance royal palace
10
Historic Scotland’s 20-year programme to
conserve Stirling Castle and enhance its
position as a must-see visitor attraction.
About the palace:
In 1538, James V of Scotland was preparing to
marry his second French wife. To mark the
arrival of his bride, James commissioned a
new Palace in Stirling Castle. It was intended
to be as fine as any princely residence she
would have known in the richer kingdom of
France.
The Palace was designed to display James V’s
wealth, learning and sophistication, as well as
asserting his right to rule.
Its elaborate decorative scheme, inside and
out, was inspired by the European
Renaissance. It drew on ideas from the
Classical world, employing elaborate symbols
and motifs to broadcast messages of power
and prosperity, wisdom and justice.
The Palace comprised Royal Lodgings for
the king and queen. Each apartment had
three spacious rooms – in ascending order
of privacy: an Outer Hall‚ an Inner Hall and
a Bedchamber. Access to these rooms was
restricted according to the rank of the
visitor and the royal privilege extended to
them.
Both Kings and Queens suites were located
on the same floor, arranged around a
courtyard known as the Lion’s Den.
These rooms were used for a variety of
purposes, including taking meals, greeting
important visitors, dancing and
entertainments, royal audiences and
meetings about affairs of state.