Great Hall of Stirling Castle, Stirling

The Great Hall, or Parliament Hall, of Stirling Castle, located on the east side of the Inner Close, stands as a testament to late medieval architecture in Scotland. Commissioned by James IV following the completion of the King's Old Building in 1497, it was fully plastered by 1503. Known as the "grandest secular building erected in Scotland in the late Middle Ages," it marks the introduction of Renaissance-influenced royal architecture in the country.

A blend of English craftsmanship and design, the Great Hall shares similarities with Edward IV’s hall at Eltham Palace in Kent, showcasing Renaissance features like intersecting tracery on the windows, integrated within a traditional medieval layout. Measuring 42 by 14.25 meters (137.8 by 46.8 feet), the hall boasts five fireplaces and large windows that illuminate the dais, the seating area for the king.

In 1800, the original hammer-beam roof and decorative crenelated parapet were removed when the hall was converted into barracks. This led to the insertion of two floors, five cross walls, and alterations to the windows. Although there were calls for restoration as early as 1893, it wasn’t until the army vacated the premises in 1965 that restoration efforts began. By 1999, the hall was fully restored, with its hammer-beam roof and parapet reinstated, windows returned to their original design, and the exterior limewashed to reflect its historical appearance.