Argyll's Lodging

Stirling


This elegant building is Scotland's most impressive 17th-century town house, built for a wealthy local merchant and later acquired by the Earl of Argyll when he thought that Charles II might use Stirling Castle as a royal residence. It has been tastefully restored and gives an insight into the lavish lifestyle of 17th-century aristocrats. You can join a 20-minute guided tour (included in the Stirling Castle admission fee) or wander through the house at your leisure.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Stirling attractions

1. Mar's Wark

0.05 MILES

Mar's Wark (wark is an old Scots word for 'building') is the ornate facade of a Renaissance town house commissioned in 1569 by the wealthy earl of Mar,…

2. Mercat Cross

0.08 MILES

The Mercat Cross is topped with a unicorn (known as the 'Puggie'), and was once the focus of a bustling market.

3. Church of the Holy Rude

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The Church of the Holy Rude has been the town’s parish church for 600 years; the infant James VI was crowned here in 1567, making it the only British…

4. Tolbooth

0.09 MILES

The Tolbooth, built in 1705 as the town's administrative centre, is now an arts venue.

5. Cowane's Hospital

0.11 MILES

Cowane’s Hospital was built as an almshouse in 1637 by the merchant John Cowane. It has been closed since 2015, but there are plans to restore the…

6. Old Town Jail

0.15 MILES

This impressive Victorian prison building lay derelict from the 1960s until 2015, when it was reopened as a visitor attraction. Costumed guides lead tours…

7. Stirling Castle

0.18 MILES

Hold Stirling and you control Scotland. This maxim has ensured that a fortress of some kind has existed here since prehistoric times. You cannot help…