Despite heavy rain, students from Forth Valley College’s ‘Digging Stirling’ evening course put their new skills to the test, on the first ever official archaeological dig on the Stirling City Walls.
A group of FVC evening students along with several other local volunteers – were led on the site excavation by Stirling Council’s Archaeologist Murray Cook on the weekend of October 7-8.
Murray, who also runs the popular ‘Digging Stirling’ evening course at FVC’s Stirling Campus, said: “A 'brand new' section of Scotland's best preserved city wall was uncovered by students from Forth Valley College and myself, but the rain hindered what we could do. The wall was built around 1547/8 to deter English troops sent to force the infant Mary Queen of Scots to marry the young Prince Edward...Henry VIIIth's sole male heir, known as The Rough Wooing.
“The wall had been undermined by later graves dug into the bedrock at its foundation. We now hope to return in the spring and carry on the hunt, looking for a bastion last used in Stirling Castle's final siege by Jacobites, led by Bonnie Prince Charlie in January 1746.”
‘Digging Stirling - An Introduction to Archaeology & History of Stirling’, course at FVC’s Stirling Campus has 13 places available for the 2024 course, running from 14 May-18 June next year.
More information can be found by visiting the course website here.
