Description

The Inner Gate at Stirling Castle provided the final defense before reaching the royal residential complex of apartments, the roof of which stands behind the castle walls. Strategically positioned on top of a volcanic bluff with cliffs dropping away on three sides, Stirling Castle is the quintessential Medieval castle, with layers of fortifications protecting the inner buildings like the palace, Great Hall, and chapel. The heavy doors of the inner gate could be defended from the tops of the turrets on either side of the gate as archers picked off attackers through the arrow slits. Stirling Castle changed hands many times throughout its long and important history, sometimes through sieges of the fortress itself. It is likely that hundreds of people perished in battle at this very gate throughout the centuries. While some parts of the castle were quite regal and richly appointed, this inner gate had a decidedly brutal feel to it. Exploring the passageways inside the gate made it clear that this structure had only one purpose – to keep unwanted people out at any cost.