It is the only active church in Britain besides Westminster Abbey to have hosted a coronation.
Mary Queen of Scots worshipped at The Church of the Holy Rude, near Stirling Castle and it was here in 1567 that her son, James VI was crowned as John Knox preached the sermon.
On May 24, 1997, Queen Elizabeth II witnessed a re-enactment of the coronation of her ancestor, and unveiled a commemorative inscription to mark the event.
Now, a unique partnership has been forged which aims to safeguard the “stunningly beautiful” and historic building for future generations.
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The church has entered into a partnership with Stirling District Tourism Ltd (SDT), an agency set up to promote the city as a world-class visitor destination.
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The union will see both organisations working together to expand visitor numbers with a view to the church becoming one of Scotland’s leading attractions.
SDT plans to develop a creative programme of cultural initiatives including exhibitions and a new website designed to bring the Church’s rich past to life and showcase its stunning architecture.
Entrance fees for non-worshippers will also be introduced with adults charged £4 per visit and £10 for families.
All visitor income in the first year will be reinvested into the conservation and modernisation of the church and to create a visitor and event space with the church fully staffed to manage group tours.
A new calendar of non-religious events will be rolled out from May 1 complementing the fixed programme of religious observances and annually recurring events.
Zillah Jamieson, chairman of the group, said: “This is an exciting opportunity to build on the number of people who have already visited this stunning building.
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“Our aim is to provide visitors from across Scotland and beyond the opportunity to explore this glorious building while generating much needed income to conserve this historic gem.”
Reverend Alan Miller added: “I am hugely excited about the opportunity to reveal our stunning Church and to gain a greater appreciation for its beauty and historical significance.
"It will remain a place of worship for our much-valued church community, and I am confident that everyone will see the benefits this partnership will bring to secure our beloved church’s future.”
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The medieval parish church is named after the Holy Rood, a relic of the True Cross on which Jesus was crucified.
It was founded in 1129 during the reign of David I, but the earliest part of the present building dates from the 15th century.
As such it is the second oldest building in Stirling after Stirling Castle, parts of which date from the later 14th century.
The chancel and tower were added in the 16th century.
Stirling Castle has long been a favoured residence of the Scottish monarchs, and was developed as a Renaissance palace during the reigns of the later Stewart kings.
The old graveyard contains a unique stone with a carved depiction of body-snatching, marking the theft of Mary Stevenson (1767–1822) by James McNab, the local gravedigger who had buried her two days earlier, on November 16 1822, aided by a friend, Daniel Mitchell.
The body was passed to John Forrest, for dissection.
The two men were caught, but released due to legal technicalities and a riot ensued.
Mary’s body was reburied and the stone carved to mark the strange event
Bullet holes pockmark the tower, possibly the result of musket fire during the siege of Stirling by Cromwell in 1651.
Several gravestones in the churchyard show bullet holes from action during the second Jacobite rebellion.
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