Sitting at the heart of Scotland where the Lowlands meet the Highlands, Stirling is recognised as one of the most historically important areas in the country.
A Royal Burgh since 1124, its strategic location and royal associations have combined to leave a remarkable built environment of great historic and cultural significance.
Now a new heritage strategy to protect, preserve and enhance the city's historic assets has been approved by Stirling Council.
The Stirling Heritage Strategy 2025-2028 will protect and manage listed buildings, monuments and other important landscapes, archaeological sites and conservation areas.
Its production has been led by the Stirling City Heritage Trust alongside the Council and a range of partner organisations, including Historic Environment Scotland, National Trust for Scotland, Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park and Forth Valley Chamber of Commerce.
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It was approved by the Finance, Economy and Corporate Support Committee on Thursday.
An action plan to support the Heritage Strategy will also be prepared with Stirling City Heritage Trust, the Council and partner organisations, setting out short, medium and longer term actions to protect and enhance the many assets across the Stirling area.
The decision to develop a Heritage Strategy was taken in November 2023 following the dismantling of the Christie Clock. A report relating to the Christie Clock will be considered at the next full Council meeting on Thursday, December 12.
Vice Convener of the Finance, Economy and Corporate Support Committee, Cllr Jen Preston, said: “Stirling has internationally recognised assets, many of which have shaped the course of Scottish history.
“We are proud of our rich tapestry of buildings, battlefields, structures, artefacts and archaeology. They not only contribute to our sense of place and environment, but also support Stirling’s economy, tourism sector and community wellbeing.
“However, we recognised there was a lack of a strategic framework to protect and understand the care and conservation needs of these assets.
“Working with our partner organisations and local communities, we are committed to protecting, preserving and enhancing them all through this important Heritage Strategy.”
There are 1,441 listed buildings, four historic battlefields, 32 conservation areas, 183 scheduled monuments, five museums and six archive collections in the Stirling Council area.
Following consultations earlier this year with local people, as well as local, regional and national organisations, the Heritage Strategy has set out a series of seven aims.
These include conserving and preserving existing assets, improving partnership working, engaging communities, promoting traditional skills and supporting heritage education.
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Stirling City Heritage Trust Manager, Dr Lindsay Lennie, said: “The Trust was pleased to lead on the delivery of this important new strategy for Stirling. The area has some of Scotland’s most important heritage and it requires careful management and a strategic approach involving local partners and key heritage organisations.
“We look forward to working with Stirling Council and other stakeholders to meet the strategic aims of the strategy and the vision that Stirling’s historic environment will be valued and protected.”
Approval of the new heritage strategy comes amid a year-long programme of events to celebrate Stirling's 900th anniversary celebrations. The festivities, which began in April, got underway at Stirling Castle with a ceremonial opening of the ancient castle gates.
A colourful 30ft long illustration was also unveiled in the city centre, showcasing some of the major moments of Stirling’s rich history, from the Battle of Bannockburn to the opening of the University of Stirling.
Meanwhile, the University of Stirling has also launched a new online course to celebrate the 900th anniversary of the founding of the burgh. The free four-week course: ‘Heart of Scotland: History and Heritage of Stirling at 900 Years’ is open to anyone with an interest in Scotland’s past.
University of Stirling Professor Ali Cathcart, who leads the course, said: “The course spans the twelfth century to the modern era, from the foundation of the burgh by King David I to the city we know today. It examines the strategic role that Stirling played through history from the Wars of Independence, when William Wallace and Robert the Bruce fought decisive battles here, the political turmoil of the reigns of Mary, Queen of Scots, and James VI, and the response of the burgh’s population to plague and the witch hunts of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
"We will look at Stirling’s place in the Jacobite risings and Radical era of the eighteenth century, the Victorian era of the nineteenth century, and we will also look at more recent events including the social changes of the twentieth century and the founding of the University as Scotland’s first new university in nearly 400 years."
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