From pre-Roman times, Stirling was seen as a strategic location because of its position at the crossing of the river Forth. In many accounts it appears as the key link between Britain, Scotland and the world beyond, as a place of borders as well as connections, and, as such, is an ideal location from which we can see how Scotland and the United Kingdom were made.

This book offers a unique perspective on Stirling. It connects the story of Stirling and the surrounding area to important events and transformations in Scottish and wider history, and incorporates landscape, environment, archaeology and architecture. It discusses what the built and cultural heritage that surrounds us in the city today can tell us and reveal about Stirling’s exciting history. The book also takes account of more recent developments in Scottish history not only to discuss political events, but also to pay attention to the ways in which these events are connected to society, culture and developments in Scotland and beyond.