My Visit to Sterling Castle

     

Entrance to the castle

Sterling Castle

  In Scotland we find not only wilderness with green grass-draped valleys and streams but also many historic castles, abbeys and mansions of feudal lords. Sterling Castle is well-known not only for its strategic location upon a 250 feet-high rocky crag but also as a place where  so many Scottish monarchs and lords fought bravely to defend this castle from the onslaught of the English armed forces. This castle has a long history dating from 10th and 11th centuries. The name "Sterling" is derived from a Scottish word  which means the place of strife. The first royal castle was built here in 11th century. . It was originally made of wood. But later in 13th  century it was re-built in stone. Most of the surviving structures of this castle were built by the Stewart kings-- James IV, James V, and James VI between 1490 and 1600. A few structures of the 14th century still remain undamaged by frequent assaults during the wars of Scottish independence. The architecture reveals a blend of English, French and German styles of construction.

The Old Building

Chapel Royal

 In 1110 King Alexander I dedicated a chapel at this place. He died in 1124. His successor David I made this castle an important place.William I handed over this castle to Richard I under the treaty of Falaise in 1174, but later the castle was given back by the English king in 1189. William I stayed here till his death in 1214. Alexander III laid out the New Deer Park in 1260s. He died in 1286. The English king Edward I occupied this castle in 1296. Since then nearly eight times wars were fought between the English and Scottish forces to occupy this fort. In 1297 William Wallace fought and won in the battle of Sterling Bridge. But the castle was again captured by the English in 1298. At last Robert Bruce defeated the English army in 1314 and secured Scottish independence.

James IV stayed in a simple old building in 1490s but later extended the western side of the building after he married Margaret, daughter of Henry VII in 1503. James IV (who ruled between 1488 and 1513) undertook the construction of the Great Hall and renovated the Royal Chapel in 1496. Mary, Queen of Scots, as an infant  was crowned here in 1543 by her mother Mary De Guise. James V (who ruled between 1513 and 1542) completed the construction of the Royal Palace by employing French masons. As he died at a very young age, his wife, Mary of Guise, completed the unfinished work. The old building served as offices and accommodation for royal household. Now it has been converted into a museum of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. James V constructed the royal Palace in a grand manner to stay here along with his newly married French queen. The outer walls of the palace were embellished with beautiful statues of Hellenic gods and goddesses and saints polished with gold. These figures were meant to show his royal splendor, virtues and bravery. Now the figures have become worn out and deprived of their past glory.

The Great Hall

Chapel Royal  (inside view)

              













 The Great Hall or Parliament Hall built by James IV is a very spacious hall with beautiful Renaissance  architecture. In the palace there are two separate apartments for king and queen. In each apartment there is an outer hall, a conference room and a bed chamber with various other rooms called closets for private use.  In queen's conference room one can see fine attractive tapestries called unicorn tapestries. The theme of these beautiful woven designs is the hunting of a unicorn by knights and royal courtiers which symbolize royal power, nobility and chastity combining both pagan and Christian implications.The unicorn, being a heraldic symbol of Scottish royalty indicates power and nobility. In pagan tradition it indicated virtues and it is believed that only a chaste virgin can tame a unicorn. In Biblical tradition the unicorn stands for Jesus Christ who is the savior of mankind. The new tapestries seen in the Queen's royal chamber are closely based on a set of seven tapestries produced in 1500's . They are now kept in the Metropolitan Museum of New York at its Cloister's Museum.

King's Royal Chamber

Sterling Heads on the Ceiling

The Unicorn Tapestry

Queen's Bed Chamber

The Unicorn Tapestry

The Sterling Heads

The ceiling of King's Chamber was originally decorated with a series of carved figures on oak panels known as Sterling Heads. On them figures of Scottish kings, queens, Roman and Greek emperors, legendary heroic figures, Scottish nobles and ladies in fashionable costumes and saints were carved within wreaths of fruits and foliage. They have been removed when the ceiling collapsed in 1777. Out of the fifty-six heads thirty six heads are still found. New heads have been re-crated and brightly painted to deck the ceiling of the royal chamber.Visitors can see the original Sterling Heads in the Sterling Head Gallery. When we entered, we saw some people dressed in various royal and traditional costumes and playing the roles of royal household. In Queen's chamber we saw a fair lady with a bejewel led crown  sitting and knitting the beautiful designs on a tapestry. A court jester was seen entertaining with his witty remarks and gestures.

 This construction of this Castle was inspired by the grand and elaborate models of European
 Renaissance to show the Scottish Emperor's (James V) learning, sophistication, royal splendor along with assertion of his power to rule the Scottish kingdom and to convey the messages of power, prosperity, justice and wisdom.The Scottish Govt. and Historic Scotland deserve all applause for their liberal contribution of spending more than twelve million pounds to renovate and re-create the grandeur of this castle and protect its unique identity and heritage by their untiring efforts and sense of dedication.

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       27-12-2013                                                                          SOMASESHU GUTALA

The Thrilling Metropolis (Part-III)

The Famous Balmoral Hotel

Princes Street, Edinburgh

  The main shopping street of the New Town is called the Princes Street starting from Waterloo Station to Shandwick Place at the west end. Originally it was called St.Giles Street facing Edinburgh's Castle and the Old Town.King George III later named the street after his two sons, Prince George and Prince Frederick.On the north side of the street you will a row of shops and a very spacious garden on the south side.A steep rise or embankment is seen on the northern side due to increase in width of the Princes Street.Though the plan of this was laid out by James Craig in 1770, most of the buildings were re-developed in the nineteenth century. The tourists can do a lot of shopping here as this street was lined with many shops, malls, hotels and historic monuments. The famous hotel Balmoral Hotel and the Royal Bank of Scotland are located in this locality.

 The Princes Street Garden is on the south side of the Princes Street spreading over a vast area of nearly 35acres and is divided by a mound . Previously this place was a marshy lake (Nor Loch) which served as a dumping place. It was later drained and a garden was laid out in 1770's and in 1820's. The Nor Loch was created by James II In 1450 to serve as a natural defense. In 1460 James III ordered the area to be flooded to strenghten the castle's defense. In later times the lake became a dumping trench and nearly three hundred witch trials took place here and the victims were thrown into this loch. In 1759 this lake was drained to facilitate the construction of the New Town to the north of this area. In 1820's a beautiful garden was laid out. The East Princes Garden stretching from the mound to the Waverly Bridge is 8.5 acres in area and the West Princes Garden is nearly  29 acres extending up to St.John's and St.Cuthbert's churches near Lothian Road in the west. One can see statues and monuments of many famous persons and celebrities.


                  

Scottish War Memorial

Scott Monument

Ross Fountain

The Mermaid Figures

                               
                                    

   In the East Princes Garden, the famous Scott Monument constructed in Gothic style in 1844 to honor Sir Walter Scott (The famous writer and novelist), attracts the attention of the tourists. The statue of the famous essayist Dr.John Wilson (Who wrote under the pseudonym Christopher North ) and David Livingstone( a famous Scottish Explorer) were also seen. A commemorative stone was erected honoring the soldiers who fought in the Spanish Civil War. In the West Princes Garden the statues of the famous Scottish poet, Allan Ramsay, the Church Reformer, Thomas Guthrie and that of Dr.James Young Simpson are seen. The Ross Fountain is a beautiful structure representing the four Muses of Knowledge-- Science, Arts, Poetry, and Industry. A female figure stands on the pedestal at the apex of the fountain . Just below the four Muses, the figures of mermaids are seen in graceful postures. This metal cast fountain was bought by the Philanthropist and gun-maker, Daniel Ross from the Great Exhibition, London in 1862 and was later installed here in 1872. Various concerts and other events are held at the Ross Band Stand. Apart from the Scottish American War Memorial, there is the world's first Floral clock at the eastern entrance actually showing the time.The design of the Floral Clock varies every year. This Floral Clock was the brain child of John MC Hattie,Edinburgh Parks Superintendent and was designed first by Ritchie& Son Clock Manufacturers and set up in 1903. Later many improvements were made to the clock.

Floral Clock

Allan Ramsay  (1686-1758)

       
















Really it was quite refreshing to stroll through the garden viewing the beautiful statues and monuments which enrich the beauty of this park with their historic presence and noble messages. As we were leaving the park we saw a beggar scarcely dressed, sitting on the steps. He noticed us shivering in the cold weather and smilingly remarked "Sir, come in December to feel the real winter. We smiled back admiring his ability to face such weather in August. As we were bidding farewell to this "City of Spires", the simple but moving lines of that Scottish Bard, Robert Burns echoed through my mind "Edina! Scotia's Darling Seat! All hail Thy Palaces and Towers/ Where once beneath a Monarch's seat/ Sat Legislation's Sovereign Powers."
                       
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      15th December, 2013.                                                                    SOMASESHU GUTALA