I have chosen some of these for the buildings themselves, some for the history and some for the attention to detail which is lacking in many modern buildings.
The small images should help ensure you are on the right track.
Construction work is currently affecting the clue for G and the Arcade is not open in the evenings. I think G can be accurately guessed but I will give the answers for these two clues to help meantime.
G = 8
M = 3
J is 6 as the plaque is temporarily missing.
S1. Start at the Athenaeum.
The Athenaeum, was designed by the architect William Stirling I of Dunblane, in 1816-1817. Built on the site of a meal market, it was originally a library and meeting house. The porch was added in 1859 by a classical gentlemen's club, and is crowned by a statue of William Wallace. Initially the local people did not like the statue, which seed merchant Peter Drummond had commissioned, and it ended up in his garden. However, following a change of heart by the council in 1859, it was erected in the middle of King Street. After proving to be a traffic hazard it was later moved to its current location.
Question - Above the name Wallace there is a latin engraving. How many letters has the last word? Answer A
This translates as "No one attacks me with impunity". Or in Scots "Wha daur meddle wi' me". The origins of this go back to the thistle but it is now used on the Royal Coat of Arms of the Kingdom of Scotland.
S2. The Golden Lion Hotel,
built c1786, owes its unusual appearance to its Aberdeen bond masonry. It has been a coaching inn and hotel since the earliest of times and has played host to many notable guests such as Robert Burns. Burns inscribed a poem on one of its panes of glass, only to return later and smash the pane. Subsequent owners of the hotel kept hold of the fragments only for them to be lost in a fire in 1949. In the late 1880s, when the National Telephone Company opened an office in Friars Street, the hotel was installed with one of the City's first telephones.
The former British Linen Bank
at the corner of King Street and Murray Place was designed by JWH and JM Hay of Liverpool in 1862-3. It is Renaissance in style; with features such as the splayed corner and heavy pediments above the windows. Although a Scottish organisation, the prefix "British" was used instead of Scottish due to the suspicion aroused by all things Scottish after the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745.
1 Port Street
is an elegant Art Deco building, built as a Burton's store in 1928. Montague Burton, the founder of Burton's, promoted the neo-classical style of architecture, during the Twenties and Thirties, across Britain. This style of building became synonymous with the company, but this is a rare example of this type of architecture within Stirling. With its clean modern lines and perfectly symmetrical white glazed faience facade, this building frames perfectly the view at the foot of King Street.
S3. Directly opposite the Wolf's Craig building
on the corner of Port Street and Dumbarton Road is a late 19th century building. The most striking feature is that of the carved figures located on the Dumbarton Road elevation. It is not known for certain who these figures are, but it is possible they are Osbrecht and Ella, two Northumbrian princes who made Stirling their stronghold. It was the forces of the princes who repelled the Norse invaders once they had been alerted by the legendary wolf, and it was said that whilst the princes watch over Stirling it will never fall.
S4. Along Dumbarton Road, you will come across the Allan Park South Church on the right hand side.
This church was constructed over the course of more than a decade, from 1865-76. It was built as a result of a feud between the two ministers who served the Erskine Church, (now a youth hostel on St John's Street), and culminated in the formation of a new congregation. The site chosen by the breakaway group was at the base of the Back Walk, then known as Gibb's Garden. The area belonged to the Gibb family, proprietors of the Golden Lion Hotel, and was used as a vegetable garden for the hotel. Some concerns were raised over this choice, as the southern part of the site was located on the edge of a former bog, known as Bennie's Bog. Look up and you will see that the spire has been partly demolished, a necessary action in order to prevent subsidence.
Question - How many leafs has the little round window on the left? Answer B.
Further along Dumbarton Road is Stirling's Albert Halls,
a fine example of its genre. It was built in 1881 -3, on the site of the royal fishponds, with money generated by a joint stock company, which was formed to raise money for the building by selling shares. The Halls are an impressive venue, run by Stirling Council, and play host to concerts, conferences, antique fairs, and graduations. On the Beatles' 1963 Scottish tour, they were not well known enough for Stirling's main venue, and instead played in the Museum Hall in Bridge of Allan.
Question - How many curved top windows face you? Answer C
S5. Continuing up Corn Exchange Road, on the right is Stirling's Public Library,
built with the help of funding from the great Scottish philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. A competition winning design, by Harry Ramsay Taylor. It is an excellent example of Scots Baronial architecture, a style that was going through a revival in this period, as architects began to distance themselves from the classical style. The asymmetrical design is skillfully composed: The large tower seemingly acting as a crutch to the rest of the building against the gradient of the hill. The decorative facade does not manage to escape the classical style altogether, as the main entrance is flanked by classical columns.
Question - The Library was officially opened on the 8th Feb 19?4. Answer D.
On the corner along from the library is a red sandstone building which used to be The Clydesdale Bank. Note the heads just below the balustrade. Robert the Bruce and Robert Burns are two of these.
Opposite the library are the Municipal Buildings.
The design of these buildings was won in a competition by J. Gaff Gillespie, in 1908, but were not built until the War years of 1914-18. Due to monetary constraints only the central block and south-west wing were ever built with initial estimates putting the cost of building around £22,000. However, the total cost came in at £38,511. The foundation stone was laid by King George V on 11 July 1914. A number of carvings are present on the buildings, among them a sculptured finial of Mary, Queen of Scots, the initials and emblems of the architect and builder. A monk holding a metal cross cleverly, acts as a lightening conductor. Despite proposals to complete the initial project, these never came to fruition, though the buildings have been extended several times.
Now turn left and begin the walk up Spittal Street.
S6. The first building we encounter on Spittal Street is Allan's Primary.
In June 1724 a local writer, John Allan, bequeathed 30,000 Scottish merks for the sustenance and education of poor boys. In 1741 a house was bought in Broad Street for this purpose. In 1797 the decision was taken to build a new school house in Spittal Street. This building was finished in 1799, and the children lived in the upper part with the teacher. In 1874 it was handed over to the school board, and as the number of pupils increased, the old building was demolished to make way for the present school which was built in 1888.
Question - Facing you on the left, on the School, you can see Stirling Burgh. On the right is School ???. How many letters has the missing word? Answer E
Next to Allan's Primary is Snowdon School.
This gothic style building by JWH and JM Hay, was erected in 1855 as a Ragged Industrial School. These schools were a result of the work of Sheriff Watson who, in Aberdeen, in October 1841, had established an Industrial Feeding School in which boys from the age of 8 to 14 received shelter, food, and education. Following on from its successors, a number of others were founded in the subsequent years. The purpose of schools such as Snowdon was to take boys and girls from the most deprived classes and make them useful members of society.
Question - On the gates are wrought iron curls which could look like hearts. How many are on each gate? Just count one gate. Answer F
33 Spittal Street.
Originally built as the Commercial Bank, the building next to Snowdon School followed a design by James Gillespie Graham. The building was altered by Peddie and Kinnear, to become the Stirling Royal Infirmary. It was further enlarged in the years 1878,1883, and 1913. It is possible that the name Bank Street may have arisen due to this building. Before its construction, Bank Street was referred to simply as The Opening.
Question - There is a plaque which tells you that this was built in 1?25. Answer G
The Stirling Highland Hotel
is an imposing building, and occupies a historic site on the grounds of the old monastery of the Greyfriars, erected in 1494, and destroyed during the Reformation. It has witnessed many changes since it was first built as the Old High School. Extended in 1887-90, by J.M. MacLaren, it was further enlarged by the notable architects McLuckie and Walker in 1905-7. The school was closed in 1962, re-opening as a hotel in 1990-1.
Question - There is a plaque beside a magnificent doorway. The old High School was opened in 185? Answer H
S7. The impressive observatory tower was gifted by Sir Henry Campbell Bannerman. Interestingly, some of the detail added by MacLaren has been said to have influenced Charles Rennie Mackintosh in some of his building designs.
Question - Above the door in roman numerals is a date 1?08 Answer I
84 Spittal Street.
Opposite the entrance to Academy Road are two houses with turnpike stair-towers projecting into the street. The uppermost building, the Darrow House, also known as Glengarry Lodge, is important in Stirling's built heritage, demonstrating many of the characteristics of an old burgh ludging', or house. It is thought that this house dates back to the 16th Century, and could have quite possibly been built by the Darrow Family who are known to have owned the property in that period. The adjoining building is Spittal's House, built by one of Stirling's greatest benefactors, Robert Spittal, taylor to King James IV. The building was split into tenements in the late 19th Century, and the stair-tower entrance added during restoration work in 1959.
Question - There is a plaque which tells you that a charity bought this in 1?65 Answer J
S8. Now turn right to Baker Street and go down hill. Near the bottom of the hill where Baker Street turns into Friars Street we come to No. 2 Baker Street,
designed by McLuckie and Walker, circa 1905. The corner entrance and substantial polygonal roof are key features of what is a fine public house. However, this is the site of much earlier public houses. The public houses of old were reputed to have been a favourite haunt of friars from the nearby Black and Grey Abbeys. It is from these friars that Friars Street takes its name.
Question - There is a signpost here. How many arrows are on the signpost?
I am reliably informed that one arrow has been removed so add one to get the Answer K
S9. The view at the foot of Friars Street is impressive.
The National Commercial Bank buildings
and the former Post Office buildings
are fine examples of Renaissance style architecture. The National Commercial Bank buildings were designed by J Dick Peddie of Edinburgh in 1854, a rare example of a building which is still in use as it was originally intended. It now houses the Royal Bank of Scotland, The former Post Office on Murray Place designed by W. W. Robertson of Edinburgh in 1894 complements the adjacent Bank Buildings perfectly. The building has only one entrance today for the public however it was originally designed with two entrances. The entrance with the Queen's head above was originally for use by officials, and the entrance with the design of the 'Florin' the 'new- coinage' of the day, was for use by the public. Today we can see this convention has been reversed.
T1. South Church on Murray Place
is another building designed in Stirling by JWH and JM Hay of Liverpool in 1851-3, in a late decorated style of Gothic architecture. It has an octagonal stair Murray Place and its spire is a landmark in Stirling. Now the Baptist Church it has been subdivided internally to provide modern worship space for the congregation who previously worshiped in a church located on other side of the road (now demolished).
Question - How many lamps above the central entrance? Answer L.
T2 and back to the start.
Turn almost immediately right, through the doors, into the Arcade which joins King Street and Murray Place.
Designed by John McLean in a Victorian Renaissance style between 1879-1882. It was a private investment by the local councillor William Crawford Originally there was a Temperance Hotel on the King Street side, but for the traveller who desired a drink, there was the Douglas Hotel on the Murray Place entrance. The Arcade's interior is impressive, particularly the three-storey central square. Also housed within the Arcade is the Alhambra Theatre. Its entire third storey above the Murray Place entrance is architectural deceit, as it exists only to maintain the proportions of the building.
Question - How many hanging lamps can you see when you enter the arcade. There are 11 in total in the arcade but I only want the first ones? Answer M.
The Cache is at
North CFº DH.JAB
West Mº EK.IGL
Well done Scottiedogz on reaching your 100th FTF.
Congratulations.