Argyll's Lodging
Argyll’s Lodging is the most complete 17th-century town house surviving in Scotland, and an important example of Renaissance architecture. The oldest part of the present house dates from the mid-16th century; a two-storey dwelling with a hall on the first floor above a kitchen, built for John Traill, a wealthy burgess. This was soon extended to form an L-shaped tower house.Keeping close to the King
Many nobles who owned nearby estates built town houses near the castle
to be close to the King's Court at Sterling Castle. Argyll's Lodging was
bought and extended by the Earl of Stirling in 1629. Anticipating a visit by Charles I, he created a private palace, with fine suites of public and private rooms and a lavishly decorated exterior. The architectural finesse is a reflection of Stirling’s wealth and political ambitions. Sadly, he died insolvent in 1640.
The house stood empty until the 1660s, when the 9th Earl of Argyll negotiated purchase. Argyll extended Stirling’s building to north and south, and enclosed the courtyard behind a screen wall with an elaborate Tuscan entrance gate. New domestic accommodation was added, but the principal rooms of the house remained unchanged. 
Despite many alterations over the years, the original crow stepped gables, dormer windows, round towers with turpike stairs and intricately carved stone windows and door frames, were kept unaltered. Argyll's Lodging is one of the most important 17th Century town houses to survive in Scotland today.
A journey back in time
Thanks to the Earl of Argull, we also got a pretty good impression of how it must have been to live and work at such a house. Argyll had drawn up a full inventory of the contents of his Stirling
townhouse, which now
provides an invaluable insight into the contents of an aristocrat’s
house in the 17th century. 
We had a great guide who involved the kids in a very good way. Our oldest son was especially keen on answering the guide's questions.And unlike most other historic places we visit, we were allowed to take photos inside the house, so I've added photos of the High Dining room and the Drawing Room, in addition to a picture of the beautiful royal purple bed. I'd love to have a bed like that, it was such a magnificent purple colour.
Sterling Castle
After our tour of Argyll's Lodging, we had a look around Sterling Castle. It's such a large castle, so we focused on the Royal Palace, the Castle Exhibition and the Stirling Heads Gallery.The gallery displays the original Stirling Heads. Each oak medallion, or roundel, was hand-carved by skilled craftsmen who created vivid images, some of which may be careful portraits of real people, or representations of past kings and queens of Scotland to emphasise the power and lineage of the monarchy.
It is not known how many roundels were made originally. A total of 34, some a metre across, have survived the centuries since their creation some time after 1530. The largest of the roundels is a metre in diameter. They are deeply carved from oak and are up to 7.6 cm thick, weighing in at around 40kg. There is nothing quite like them anywhere else in the world.The copies of the Stirling Heads can be seen on the ceiling of the King’s Inner Hall.
A fortress since Roman times
Stirling Castle towers above the river and the medieval bridge. Stirling Castle rock has been used as a fortress for centuries, probably since Roman times. The castle is well defended by cliffs on three sides. The earliest buildings upon it mentioned in surviving records are the castle and the chapel dedicated by Alexander 1 in 1120.A home for Kings and Queens
From the 12th Century Sterling Castle became one of the principal royal strongholds in Scotland.It was the favoured residence of most of Scotland’s later medieval
monarchs and most of them contributed to its impressive architecture. King James IV spent much
time and money making the castle fit for a European monarch, chiefly to
impress his queen, Margaret Tudor, daughter of Henry VII of England.His legacy was continued by his son, James V, equally determined to impress his second bride, Queen Marie de Guise. Their daughter, Mary, Queen of Scots, was crowned at Sterling Castle in 1543, and Mary’s own son, the future James VI, was baptised at the castle in 1566. The celebrations culminated in a fireworks display on the Esplanade, the first seen in Scotland. In 1594, James VI hosted a great three-day celebration at the castle to mark his own son’s baptism.
A castle worth fighting for
The present castle
The Castle that stands today is recorded to have been built between 1370 and 1750 in various stages by the numerous occupants of the stronghold. Below I have embedded a video from Historic Scotland, to give you an impression of what the castle looks like inside and the efforts that has been put in to restore it to its former glory.
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