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October 7, 2002 - Stirling Castle 1939 - Raploch View
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This view of Stirling castle was taken in 1939, from the Raploch side. The castle has been many things over the years, including an unsightly barracks! 
In 1845 Lord Cockburn wrote:
"How disgraceful it is to the nation, and particularly to Government, that the scenes of its history should be converted to such base uses! The place where the parliament met a barrack-room! And every other sacred spot equally debased! I have been often and positively assured that about the beginning of the last war, 1804, the Government of the day wished virtually to obliterate the castle althogether, by giving it up as a fortress, or as public property, and getting it all disposed of, by a statute, if necessary! I have reason to believe that had it not been for a few of the neighbouring families, chiefly the Abercrombies, this would actually have been done, and that we should have had it all made into a manufactory. Anything is credible!" By 1939 the castle was still in a deplorable state, except the Jacobean Chapel had been restored. Today the "restoration" has resulted in charges of over 8 dollars to get in! Image any country on earth where you must pay to get into a national memorial such as Stirling Castle!
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