Church of the Holy Rude

Stirling Castle has long been a favoured residence of the Scottish monarchs, and was developed as a Renaissance palace during the reigns of the later Stewart kings.The Church of the Holy Rude, adjacent to the castle, became similarly associated with the Scottish monarchy, hosting royal baptisms and coronations.[2] It has been suggested that, in the Siege of Stirling Castle in 1651 by General Monk, during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, the church and churchyard suffered damage from musket shots, which is still visible.[4] In 2023 the church announced a partnership with Stirling District Tourism Ltd, with the aim of promoting the site as a tourist destination.King James IV lived much at Stirling, and it was he who set up one of its most notable foundations, that of the Collegiate Church of the Chapel Royal.In the part of this parish that lies on the left bank of the Forth stand the ruins of St Mary's Augustinian Abbey of Cambuskenneth.[6] The church contains many fine stained glass windows, mainly from the late 19th century, including examples by Ballantine & Co., Adam & Small, and Cottier & Co.The old graveyard contains a unique stone with a carved depiction of body-snatching, marking the theft of Mary Stevenson (1767–1822) by James McNab, the local gravedigger who had buried her two days earlier, on 16 November 1822, aided by a friend, Daniel Mitchell.
A view from Stirling Old Town Jail
A view from the roof of Stirling Old Town Jail
Interior
West window, Holy Rude Church, Stirling
Musket ball damage on the north side of the Church of the Holy Rude, Stirling
A view from the churchyard
Unique body-snatching headstone, Stirling, 1823
The Star Pyramid in the cemetery
Stirling CastleStirlingScotlandDenominationChurch of ScotlandRoman CatholicChurchmanshipPresbyterianParish churchDavid I of ScotlandDedicationHoly CrossGothicspiresPresbyteryParishMinister(s)Organist(s)Chapter clerkScottish GaelicHoly RoodTrue CrossDavid IRenaissancecoronationschancelJames VIcrowned King of ScotsAdam BothwellBishop of OrkneyJohn KnoxGeneral MonkWars of the Three KingdomsJames GuthrieJames IIIJames IVAbbey of CambuskennethQueen VictoriaMargaret of DenmarkSt Leonard's-in-the-Fields ChurchAlexander Handyside RitchieAlexander BeithArchibald BennieCowane's HospitalDavid DoigProfessor Henry DrummondWilliam DittmarRobert BurnsPilkington JacksonCraig House AsylumIrvin IfflaBOAC Flight 781Westminster AbbeyGloucester CathedralFrancis Hindes Groomepublic domain