History
The Church was founded in 1129 during the reign of David I as the parish Church of Stirling and takes its name from the medieval term for the Cross of Christ’s crucifixion – the Holy Rude.
The original Church was destroyed by a catastrophic fire in 1405 along with much of the old town buildings. Construction to replace the Church began thanks to a grant made by the Lord Chamberlain of Scotland. The Nave, the South Aisle with rounded Scots pillars, gothic arches, the oak-timbered roof and the tower were all completed in the early 1400s. The oak timbered roof is the oldest surviving example of a hammer beam roof in Scotland – a magnificent structure held together by wooden pegs or dowels.
Due to its proximity to Stirling Castle, the Church has had a long association with Scottish monarchs. Mary Queen of Scots spent much of her early childhood in Stirling and would have visited and most likely worshipped at the Church. When she abdicated in 1567, the coronation of her infant son, King James VI of Scotland, took place in the Church of the Holy Rude later that year, making it the only surviving Church in Scotland (and one of very few in the United Kingdom) where a Coronation has taken place.
An inscription commemorating this coronation was unveiled by Queen Elizabeth II during a visit to the Church in May 1997.
The Church has seen its share of conflict over the centuries. During the religious and political troubles of the 17th Century, the Church was divided in 2 and had a wall built to create 2 separate churches – the East and the West. The minister whose activities led to this division, James Guthrie, was hanged for high treason in 1661, and the 2 parts of the church were finally re-united in 1935.
During Cromwell’s uprising, General Monk set up his guns on the Church tower in 1651 for the last successful attack on Stirling Castle. The Church walls bear the scars of musket shot and cannon-fire from this and other conflicts, including the Jacobite uprising of 1746. The battle scarred walls are indeed a testament to the skills of the stone masons and craftsmen of the past.
The Stained Glass Windows
The Church also tells stories of Stirling and Scotland through the stunning stained glass windows. The current windows date from the mid 19th century. The colours reflected through the windows on the Church’s stonework on a bright day are truly beautiful and add to the sense of tranquility within the Church today.
The Guildry window
The south-facing Guildry window near the main door reflects the history of the Merchants Guildry of Stirling, all under the watchful eye of the wolf at the Apex of the window – a long standing symbol of Stirling due to the legendary tale of a wolf alerting the town of Stirling to an impending attack in the 11th century.
The Angel Window
The Angel window, facing the Apse and Communion table, was installed in 1868, but the artist’s identity is lost in the mists of time. Today the angel is seen as a reminder to look for the best in everyone.
The Argyll Window
The Church has a close association with the Regimental Association of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders whose headquarters is at Stirling Castle.
Commissioned to remember over 6000 members of the Regiment who died during WW1, the window features a Highland soldier surrounded by poppies and figures from the Regimental cap badge.
The Bells
The bells in the Church Tower can still be heard ringing out on special occasions. The Church is also home to a bell dating back to the 12th century that is thought to have come from Cambuskenneth Abbey and could well have rung out following Robert the Bruce’s victory at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314.
The Church Organ
The Church’s magnificent organ is the largest pipe organ in Scotland, was built by Rushworth and Dreaper in 1940 then re-built in 1994.
The Graveyard
The historic graveyard surrounding the Church is also fascinating to visit with some notable monuments including the Star Pyramid, the Martyr’s monument, and the service stone – details on all of these and more can be found on Stirling Old Town Cemetery website.
Ladies Rock sits over the Old Town Cemetery and was where ladies of the royal court would watch jousting from a safe distance in bygone days.
In January 1746, Bonnie Prince Charlie pitched the last siege of Stirling Castle from Ladies Rock before making his way to Drummossie Moor where the Battle of Culloden took place just a few months later.
The Church has many stories to share and 900 years of history to explore – come along and create your own historic memories of this beautiful, iconic building.
