Church of the Holy Rude

Stirling, United Kingdom

The Church of the Holy Rude is the medieval parish church of Stirling. The church was founded in 1129 during the reign of David I, but earliest part of the present church dates from the 15th century. Construction on the new nave was underway by 1414, and based on the evidence of carved heraldry the vault of the nave was completed between 1440 and 1480. Work on the chancel did not commence until 1507 and completed around 1530 which was when the west tower was also extended to its current height. King James VI was crowned King of Scots in the church on 29 July 1567. Adam Bothwell, Bishop of Orkney performed the ceremony, and John Knox preached a sermon. As such it is the second oldest building in Stirling after Stirling Castle, parts of which date from the later 14th century. The chancel and tower were added in the 16th century. In the Siege of Stirling Castle in 1651 by General Monk, during the English Civil War, the church and churchyard suffered damage from musket shots, which is still visible.

Stirling Castle has long been a favoured residence of the Scottish monarchs, and was developed as a Renaissance palace during the reigns of the later Stewart Kings. The Church of the Holy Rude, adjacent to the castle, became similarly associated with the monarchy, hosting royal baptisms and coronations. It is one of three churches still in use in Britain that have been the sites of coronations.

The church has a historic churchyard lying primarily to the west and north-west of the church. Stones date from the 16th century. The churchyard was extended in 1851, creating the fascinating Valley Cemetery to the north, divided from the old cemetery by only a path. This contains a series of statues by Alexander Handyside Ritchie to figures of the Reformation.

The old graveyard contains a unique stone with a carved depiction of body snatching, marking the theft of Mary Stevenson (1767-1822) by James McNab, the local gravedigger who had buried her two days earlier, on 16 November 1822, aided by a friend, Daniel Mitchell. The body was passed to John Forrest, for dissection. The two men were caught, but released due to legal technicalities and a riot ensued. Mary's body was reburied and the stone carved to mark the strange event.

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Details

Founded: 1414-1480
Category: Religious sites in United Kingdom

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Zeglar “Zeg” Fergus (14 months ago)
Like other churches we visited in Scotland, the exterior plainness belies the interior experience. A short walk down from Stirling Castle carpark, this church provided a quiet sanctuary from the castle bustle. Beautiful exposed timber framed roof over the nave and stain glass windows.
Tork Mackenzie (14 months ago)
Lovely old church with centuries of history , the stained glass windows were definitely a highlight as was the volunteer lady who when hearing we were from Aberdeenshire produced a guide in Doric which we appreciated
SKY Kimmel (Strummie Worship) (15 months ago)
My toddler loved visiting this!! (He likes churches at the mo). History of King James and the Bible. Very friendly and knowledgeable staff. James was crowned King at 13 months old and so was my baby when we visited!! Very cool.
antonios varzakis (17 months ago)
The Church of the Holy Rude is the medieval parish church of Stirling, Scotland. It is named after the Holy Rood, a relic of the True Cross on which Jesus was crucified. The church was founded in 1129 during the reign of David I, but the earliest part of the present church dates from the 1500, to replace the church of St Modan, which had been burned down. In 1656 the church was divided into two parts, each of which was fitted up as a separate place of worship. On the 29th of July 1567, King James VI was crowned, having then attained the age of 13 months.
Casey Hedlund (18 months ago)
Beautiful chapel and with great history! A volunteer gave us a great background on its history and was very engaging. A great stop before or after Stirling Castle.
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