Variously described as a “rogue architect”, a 'maverick' and one of Stirling’s prominent turn-of-the-century architects, the idiosyncratic John Allan has firmly left his stamp on Stirling in the form of a wide range of buildings. Today, some of these architectural compositions create an air of intrigue for anyone with an eye to spot the unusual. He has left a series of puzzles to unravel.
John Allan was born in 1846 in the Fife village of Carnock just west of Dunfermline. In 1875 he and his sister moved to Stirling.
During his stay in Stirling of almost half a century, Allan developed his various interests including archaeology and was particularly fascinated by the local history of the Stirling area, presenting numerous papers to the Stirling Natural History and Archaeological Society.
JA1. The listed co-ordinates take you to the first building at 52-56 Port Street.
This building is in the English Queen Anne style with many interesting details such as the decorated overhanging shop fronts and terracotta red glazed bricks. Intricately carved wooden decoration can be seen between the bay windows, which contain some very fine stained glass.
Question - There are four bay windows with stained glass. How many stained glass windows in each bay? Answer A.
JA2. Located at the corner of Port Street and Dumbarton Road at 42 Port Street
is the Wolf's Craig Building. The wolf can be seen carved on the exterior of the building. Legend has it the wolf saved Stirling by barking at Norse invaders, awakening a sentinel, who then rallied the defenders of the town. The wolf, considered a symbol of good luck, appears on Stirling's coat of arms.
In addition to his rich appreciation of the past, Allan was also very much a man of vision in his own time. He was instrumental in introducing the new wonder of electricity to the Burgh after his groundbreaking design for the Wolf's Craig Building, which included its own generator. Trainloads of people from Glasgow and Edinburgh gathered 'open-eyed' to view the 'brilliant illumination' of the electric lights fitted inside and outside the building. The Wolf's Craig Building was also the first in Scotland to be built on a steel frame construction.
Question - In Dumbarton Road underneath the Wolf is an inscription which reads
Here in auld days
The wolf ( )
In a hole of the rock
In ambush lay
How many letters has the missing word in the second line. Answer B.
JA3. Now make your way to 55 Baker Street.
This mock Tudor house is not as old as one might imagine as it was built in 1890. Originally this was the Stirling Arms Pub. The building retains a plaque bearing the inscription "Sterlini Opidium" or Stirling Arms. Above the sign there is a small carved animal. In 1845 Stirling had no fewer than 96 Inns and alehouses, many of which were "receptacles for the vilest characters, giving facility, and holding out temptation to drunkenness, profligacy and defamation of the Sabbath".
Question - On the Bank Street side of the building there are Xs. Subtract the Xs in the lower row from the upper row. Answer C.
JA4. Now progress to numbers 29 - 31 Friars Street.
It is unusual in Stirling to find buildings in this style, with recessed balconies and splayed iron work. Such detail and design gives this a Dutch feel and hints at Scotland's trading links with the Netherlands.
Question - There is a stone tablet with three lines of writing. The second word is Principle. How many letters are there in the first word. Answer D.
JA5. As this is a private residence please don't loiter about at the gate.
Among the numerous designs for villas which he created was that of his own house at 'Cliffbank', 32 Albert Place where he lived, a bachelor, with his sister, until his death on 20 February 1922. His sister outlived him by only nine days which led to the belief that she died of a broken heart.
Question - There are decorative vertical stripes above the door and windows. What is the total number of vertical stripes above the two columns on each side of the door. Count the stripes above both columns. Answer E.
JA6. On a much smaller scale
the design for the pedestal and enclosure for the beheading stone on the Gowan Hill was undoubtedly a result of his role as an amateur antiquarian.
Question - There are numbers on the cannons. One is number 23 the other is number 9. Cannon number 9 has more numbers after it. 16-3-?. Answer F.
Now have a seat and work out the final co-ordinates for the cache which can be found at
N 56º 07.ACD
W 003º 56.FEB