Stirling Castle Photos

Stirling Castle

Shouldn't we all have a room like this for our kids?
The Castle Kitchens

Give Jax a stick and he is a happy young man!

King and Queen Tomchesson in the Great Hall

Family Photo at the Castle

The Wallace Monument

After we visited Stirling Castle, we decided to go over and visit the Wallace Monument. We had watched Braveheart during a family movie night before we came, and Jaxon was very interested in William Wallace. As a side note - while the Scottish people are proud of their heritage, William Wallace, Robert the Bruce and Rob Roy McGregor they are very prickley about the way film and Hollywood has depicted these people. There has been quite a lot of leway between the Hollywood stories and the real history. Do not make the mistake of quoting any movie to the Scots. It won't matter your age, they will set you straight very quickly.

William Wallace was in fact a Scottish knight and landowner (minor nobility) and would become one of the main leaders during the Wars of Scottish Independence. He was born between 1272 and 1273 and was captured, tried for treason, tortured, hanged and killed all before he reached the ripe old age of 35.

The Monument is wonderful and filled with lots of exhibits covering not only Wallace, but other leaders in the Wars of Scottish Independence. It also houses the sword of William Wallace which was of particular interest to Jaxon. This sword/claymore measures 5 feet 6 inches and weighs 6 lbs. (Can you imagine?!)