stirling-1963-vol-1/05_051

Transcription

INTRODUCTION : GENERAL
James's accession in 1460. During the 16th century Stirling was the scene of the coronations
of James V and of Mary, of the baptism and coronation of James VI, and of the birth and
baptism of Prince Henry, as well as of many of the more important political events associated
with these reigns. Not much is known of conditions within the burgh at this period, but the
indications are that, just as the Court was most closely associated with the Castle in the late
15th and 16th centuries, so the status of the burgh was highest at this time.
After the Union of the Crowns in 1603 the Castle ceased to be a Royal residence, and in
consequence the political importance of the burgh declined and it became little more than a
county town with a modest reputation as a trading port. To Thomas Tucker, in 1655, it was
"a pretty burgh, famous for the strength of the castle and bridge", ¹ while John Ray, visiting
the town in about 1662, described it as "an indifferently handsome town", with "a good
market-place" and "two palaces". ² This last reference is evidently to Argyll's Lodging and
Mar's Work (cf. Nos. 227 and 230).

(ii) The Smaller Burghs. The only other burghs in Stirlingshire that are of any antiquity
are those of Airth (No. 251). Falkirk (No. 252) and Kilsyth (No. 254). Airth was erected into a
Royal burgh in the reign of William the Lion, but the foundation must have been a failure as
nothing is heard of the burgh in mediaeval times. ³ In 1597, however, it was erected into a
burgh of barony ⁴ and began to develop as a seaport. In consequence, the new town of Lower
Airth was founded, about the beginning of the 18th century, on a site adjacent to the harbour,
while the old town, which stood on the Hill of Airth, was gradually abandoned.
Falkirk's history ⁵ is complicated by the fact that, before 1606, part of it stood on Callendar
land and part on what had once been the property of Holyrood Abbey. In 1600 the Callendar
portion was erected into a burgh of barony, and in 1606 the Earl of Linlithgow, its superior
acquired some lands which included the former Holyrood portion of the town and had them
erected into the barony of Falkirk. Then in 1643 the Earl of Callendar obtained a charter
which erected the baronies of Callendar, Falkirk and Ogilface into a free regality, the effect of
which would seem to be that the Callendar portion of the town, already a burgh of barony
since 1600, became a burgh of regality. The town's rapid expansion as an industrial and
commercial centre in the late 18th and early 19th century was emphasised by its creation as a
Parliamentary burgh in 1832.
Kilsyth was the last burgh of barony to be established in Scotland, its foundation dating
only from the year 1826. ⁶

1 Hume, Brown, P., Early Travellers in Scotland, 168.
2 Ibid., 236.
3 Dickinson, op. cit., xxiii.
4 R.M.S., vi (1593-1608), No. 634.
5 This account follows P.F.A.N.H.S., ii (1936-7), 33 ff.
6 Mackenzie, W. M., The Scottish Burghs, 80.

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