Argyll’s Lodging is an enchanting 17th-century mansion with a Renaissance façade and elegant chambers and halls. Its magnificent turrets peek over the gate on the road leading to Stirling Castle. Capture photos of this stately home with the hills and cliffs serving as a dramatic backdrop.
Arrive at the lodging and take photos of its preserved façade, with towers that give the impression of a fairytale. Enter the building to see its collection of furnishings and relics from the 1600s. Take a guided tour for a more comprehensive understanding of the context behind the items.
Among the highlights is the High Dining Room, which is ornate with impressive paintings. Note the majestic fireplace and the chair of state in the Drawing Room. It also holds recreations of intricate tapestries. Enter My Lady’s Closet, a small room for Lady Anna Mackenzie that contains a purple canopied bed.
Hear tales about the aristocratic families that inhabited the mansion, including Archibald Campbell, Ninth Earl of Argyll, who was imprisoned by King Charles II before escaping disguised as a woman and fleeing to the Netherlands. The lodging later was used as a military hospital and then a youth hostel.
The site is often included in a trip to Stirling Castle, as it stands on the uphill approach to it. Gaze up at the impressive castle on the hill’s peak surrounded by cliffs. Learn about its rich history as a defensive fortification where kings and queens were coronated. The castle was the location of at least eight sieges over the centuries, particularly during the Wars of Scottish Independence.
Purchase a ticket for Stirling Castle, which includes access to the lodging. Toddlers enter for free and children get discounts. The lodging is open for visits year-round for a few hours in the afternoon. Ask staff at Stirling Castle for details on guided tours of the lodging.
Argyll’s Lodging is on the Castle Wynd slope in the northwestern part of Stirling. It is a 10-minute walk southeast from Stirling Castle and the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders Regimental Museum. Ride one of the many bus lines to a stop beside the mansion.
