Stairlifts Cambuslang – Stairlifts Lanarkshire

Click here to find new and reconditioned stairlifts in Cambuslang in Lanarkshire 

Castle Comfort Stairlifts offers top brand stairlifts, keen prices and fast installs for all those seeking stairlifts in  Cambuslang, Lanarkshire . And all work comes with our no-quibble guarantees and famous customer service satisfaction.

Give us a call today on 0141 278 3929  If however, you are looking for fascinating facts about the area then feel free to read on.

Stairlifts Cambuslang – Stairlifts Lanarkshire

Sitting right on the edge of the outskirts to the south east of Glasgow is Cambuslang, a town which has been there for thousands of years.  The first signs of a settlement date back to the Iron Age and in recent years the town was known for coal mining, iron and steel.  Tata Steel Europe (formerly Corus) still has interests at Clydebank Steel Works in the town.  Recently Hoover has joined the Cambuslang ranks of industry.

Cambuslang has a population of 24,500 of whom almost 5,000 are retired.  Castle Comfort Stairlifts who help to make life easier for those with disabilities who have trouble with stairs, also knows that of those 5,000, 125 already own stairlifts.  As authorities on the subject, we feel it is our responsibility to pay attention to the statistics.  Roughly 2.6% of the retired population come to need help getting up and down the stairs.  On our homepage we count stairlifts as they’re sold so that you can see just how rapidly this is happening all over the country.

If you or one of your loved ones could benefit from a stairlift, we can advise, install and provide excellent after care.  We have stairlifts to fit all kinds of staircases and the needs of people.  Take a look at our straight and curved stairlifts.  We can also help with perch stairlifts if you have trouble bending your knees or larger stairlifts that will carry more weight if that fits the bill.

Take a look around at what we can offer and call our local office for more information on
  0141 278 3929.

It’s all about the people
Sometimes history and culture really give a clear picture of what a town is about, but in the end it comes down to the people.  They are what makes a town and give it its substance.  Cambuslang isn’t short of famous inhabitants, past and present that give it its meaning and its core.  Here are the stories of some them:

·         Cambuslang’s Patron Saint, St Cadoc was responsible for founding a monastery which was superseded by the Old Parish Church in the 6th century.  Cadoc came from Wales but probably in his quest for help to stay the invading Saxons visited Jerusalem, Rome, Brittany, Ireland and Scotland.


·         David Dale lived much later in the 18th and early 19th centuries.  This Scottish industrialist and philanthropist was the co founder of the New Lanark Mills.  He owned the Rosebank Estate in Cambuslang, a second ‘holiday’ home and retreat from his home in Charlotte Street, Glasgow.  The latter is said to still be standing.  His estate in Cambuslang was sold on his death to the Caledonian Railway Company who split it in two.  Rosebank House eventually became the Rosebank Estate and the southern half of the Estate was sold to Thomas Buchanan.  His son sold off the estate for real estate development in the mid 19th century.



·         Shipping magnate Sir George Burns who founded The Cunard Line lived in Rosebank House at one point.



·         The Reverend Dr James Meek was minister at Cambuslang in the latter part of the 18th century.  He came with a string of notable titles to his credit including Dean of Chapter at Glasgow University and Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.  He wrote the first report for the First Statistical Account of Scotland about Cambuslang.



·         There is some evidence that King Arthur may have fought his first battle here against invading Saxons.



·         Another famous Royal, Mary Queen of Scots is said to have fled from Scotland crossing the ford at Cambuslang in 1567.



·         The famous 18th/19th century, garden designer and writer John Claudius Loudon was born here.  He wrote the 1822 Encyclopaedia of Gardening.  Beyond that he also invented a ‘flexible iron bar sash’ which enabled huge glasshouses such as Kew Garden’s Palm House and Crystal Palace to be built.  Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Derby Arboretum, Harewood House in South Yorkshire and Stradsett Hall, Norfolk are amongst some of the many gardens he designed.



·         Sir Thomas Lipton, the tea magnate lived here in the early 19th century.  His home was Johnstone Villa which took his mother’s family name.  He was a keen yachtsman and took part in the America’s Cup 5 times in yachts called Shamrock and Shamrock V.  Unfortunately he was unsuccessful.  He was only inducted into the Americas Cup Hall of Fame in 1993!

Source:Public Domain from 1909

·         Opera singer, Robert Wilson was born in Cambuslang.  He trained as a draughtsman and later as a singer.  He spent several years performing with the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company famous for performing Gilbert and Sullivan Operas.



·         Scottish miners’ leader, Mick McGahey worked in the Cambuslang mines and has a memorial in the town.  His father was the founder of the Communist Party of Great Britain.  Mick followed his father into the party and also became vice president of the National Union of Miners.  He took a typically militant line during the 1972-74 miners’ Strike; by the time of the miners’ strike of the 1980s with Arthur Scargill at the helm of the NUM, McGahey was retired but still supportive.  He has been described as a ‘working class hero’.  In 2006 a memorial to McGahey was unveiled in Cambuslang.



·         Duncan Munro Glen was a prolific poet, essayist, editor and author who was born here.  He was a retired professor of Nottingham Trent University.  He was a friend and promoter of two other Scottish poets, Hugh MacDiarmid and Ian Hamilton Finlay who was also an acclaimed artist.  He was nominated for the Turner Prize in the 1980s.

Source: EAC 2006

·         Another poet, Robert Crawford who was born in Bellshill, grew up in Cambuslang.  Crawford currently holds the position of Professor of English at St Andrew’s University.



·         Midge Ure is probably best known for his time with Ultravox but he also played in bands Visage, Thin Lizzy and others.  In 1984 he co wrote and produced ‘Don’t they know it’s Christmas’ with Bob Geldof.  They went on to organise BandAid, LiveAid and Live 8 with proceeds from the concerts going to famine relief in Ethiopia.  Ure was born James Ure; his stage name Midge comes from the phonetic pronunciation of his name Jim spelt backwards.  He is an honorary Doctor of Letters at Dundee Abertay University and an ambassador for the charity Save the Children.

Source: Flickr:Phil Guest

·         Another musician from the area is Brendan O’Hare who was the drummer with Teenage Fanclub.



·         Also from Cambuslang is Patrick Harkins who has directed episodes of Taggart and Casualty.



Get mobile
The first episode of Taggart aired in 1983 with Mark McManus who was born in nearby Hamilton, playing the lead role until his death in 1994.  Taggart’s wife spent years in a wheelchair.  Although she may have been a fictitious character on TV, when in real life your mobility is impaired you can benefit from help.



We are happy to help you realise a practical solution with a stairlift for use in your home.  We supply a good range made by all UK manufacturers, so we can offer unbiased recommendations.  You can see our prices here and check out the comparisons of the different chairlifts.  We also do reconditioned ones.

It’s no joke having to put your hand in your pocket for a stairlift but it will make a great deal of difference to your life.  However if it means digging rather deep, take a look at the grant possibilities or 0% finance loans, which will allow you to spread the payments.

Of course if there is anything else you’d like to know, just give us a call and we’ll get right on it,  0141 278 3929 .

Stairlifts Motherwell and Wishaw – Stairlifts Lanarkshire

Click here to find new and reconditioned stairlifts on Motherwell and Wishaw in Lanarkshire 

Castle Comfort Stairlifts offers top brand stairlifts, keen prices and fast installs for all those seeking stairlifts in Motherwell and Wishaw. And all work comes with our no-quibble guarantees and famous customer service satisfaction.

Give us a call today on 0141 278 3929  If however, you are looking for fascinating facts about the area then feel free to read on.


Stairlifts Motherwell and Wishaw – Stairlifts Lanarkshire

This blog is a story in two parts.  For many years the towns of Motherwell and Wishaw have been virtually inseparable partly due to their council connections.  These two North Lanarkshire towns in the shadow of Glasgow are towns in their own rights.

Stairlifts North Lanarkshire
With a joint retired population of about 11,500, you probably won’t be surprised to learn that around 300 of these good folk need and own stairlifts.  This means that they can access levels and rooms in their homes that otherwise caused them great difficulty or were effectively ‘out-of-bounds’.

Castle Comfort Stairlifts have been supplying stairlifts for almost 15 years and like to know what’s going on, so we keep a count of how many stairlifts are installed.  You can see our moveable counter on our homepage here.  Take a look it’s fascinating to see just how often the counter moves on.

Back to the stairlifts.  Depending on your home or more accurately your staircase, you may need a straight or a curved stairlift and we can supply both.  For those of you who are unable to bend your knees we have perch lifts.  Nothing is impossible when keeping everyone mobile.  We also arrange for installation of any stairlift purchased.  The whole process is very quick.  Straight stairlifts can often be fitted in a matter of an hour or so.  Other stairlifts can take up to half a day – but then you’re ready for off.

If you think a stairlift is the answer to your prayers or to those of a loved one, please take a look around our site and see what customers have said, compare stairlifts and check prices.  If you would like to know more, please give us a phone call on  0141 278 3929 .

Motherwell
Motherwell seems to have existed since at least the 16th century and the name of this town is thought to refer to an ancient well with religious significance.  The Mother’s Well was dedicated to the Virgin Mary but all you’ll find of it now is a plaque to mark the site in Ladywell Road.

Like most ancient hamlets, industrialisation and the arrival of transport structures like the railway are when these areas started to grow.  Motherwell is no different.  By the 19th and 20th century Motherwell had gained a nickname related to its industrial preference: Steelopolis.  Nearby Ravenscraig Steelworks dominated the skyline with their water and cooling towers.  In 1992 when the plant closed it all became history.  All that remains now is the Dalzell Plate Mill which is still in operation.

Source:Wikipedia User Jonathan_Oldenbuck

Dalzell House
The name Dalzell is well known in these parts.  The land where the 15th/16th century Dalzell House was built was owned by the family of the same name.  It was sold off in the 1950s and is now owned by the Motherwell and Wishaw Council who used part of it for a boy’s school.  In the 1980s it was sold and has now been refurbished as a number of apartments.  The building is a Category A listed building.

Motherwell Cathedral
Motherwell Cathedral opened in 1900 as the Church of Our Lady of Good Aid.  By mid century its status was elevated to a cathedral and is now commonly known as Motherwell Roman Catholic Cathedral.

North Lanarkshire Heritage Centre
This modern building opened in 1996 and houses North Lanarkshire’s history and archives.  There are exhibits about domestic life and Motherwell’s industrial past.  Exhibits feature Motherwell’s history right back to the 15th century.

Source:geograph.org.uk Chris Upson

Strathclyde Country Park
This great natural attraction in the Clyde valley brings visitors to the area.  Activities like bird watching, sailing on the Loch and water skiing take place at the Park, which also houses the area’s first theme park M & Ds.

Football
Motherwell has a football club in the Scottish Premier League.  They are known as ‘Steelmen’ and the club was formed in 1886.  Their home ground is at Fir Park Stadium.  Like their nearby neighbour Wishaw they seem to have many footballers connected with the area.

·         Late footballer Joe Baker was an English International player who was born in Liverpool, played for Hibernian and Raith Rovers amongst others.  He grew up in nearby Motherwell and actually died in Wishaw General Hospital

·         Retired footballer Andy Thompson was born here and spent 2 notable periods playing for Queen of the South

·         Ian St John started his career at Motherwell and ended as their manager

·         Another local lad, retired footballer Scott Leitch played and helped manage Motherwell at different periods in his footballing career

·         Businessman Craig Whyte was born here and was at one time owner of Rangers



Other famous faces of Motherwell
Of course it isn’t just footballers who’ve made names for themselves:

·         Actor Paul Higgins was born here.  He has appeared in the theatre, on TV including Line of Duty, Vera, Hope Springs and The Thick of It and films (In the Loop)

·         Opera singer Anne Sharp was born in Motherwell.  She died last year (2011) aged 94

·         Actress Katie Leung was born here and is best known for her role as Cho Chung in the Harry Potter films

Source:Wikipedia User Kattkatt21

·         Scottish Indie Band The Delgados were from Motherwell


Stairlifts Wishaw – Stairlifts North Lanarkshire
Wishaw is a burgh or borough of the greater conurbation of Glasgow.  But it boasts a population of more than 38,500 which makes it bigger than some towns.  It is often over shadowed by its better known neighbour Motherwell.

Source:geograph.org.uk userIain Thompson

Its name probably came from Wishaw House built in nearby woods by South Calder Water.  The name is thought to come from Old Scotch words ‘wis’ was the old Scottish name for water and ‘shaw’ meaning forest or wood.  As is almost always the case, this isn’t the only theory.  Some think the name may have come from the Scottish for ‘wicket gate in the wood’ (Wygateshaw) or the old English for willow wood.  Others believe it is a corruption of ‘Viashaw’ meaning road or that it comes from ‘Wee Wood’ i.e. small wood.  The town isn’t particularly old by some calculations, although there was a settlement round and about the area in the 12th century because St Nethan established a church here.  The suburb of Wishaw is now known as Netherton.  The only remains of the ancient church is a burial ground where Lord Belhaven, is buried.  His burial placed is marked by a mausoleum.

Football
There is no professional football team in Wishaw though neighbouring Motherwell has a premier league club.  Wishaw can only boast a junior team who play at the town’s sports centre at Beltane Park.  The sport does seem to be supported in the town with two full sized pitches in a park, the King George’s Field.

Maybe this is why this smallish town has ‘given birth’ to so many footballers over the years:

·         Former Scottish Professional player Stan McEwan was born in Wishaw and played for Blackpool, Exeter and Hull Cities during his playing career

·         Late footballer Joe Baker was an English International player who was born in Liverpool, played for Hibernian and Raith Rovers amongst others.  He grew up in nearby Motherwell and actually died in Wishaw General Hospital

·         Another footballer who claims Wishaw as his home town is Paul Quinn.  He trained with Motherwell and came up through the ranks there, eventually moving to play for Cardiff City and Doncaster Rovers

·         Derek Holmes currently playing for Arbroath comes from the area

·         Former footballer and manager Tommy Gemmell was born in Motherwell

·         Another Wishaw player is Andrew Barrowman who currently plays for Dunfermline Athletic

·         Currently playing for Carlisle United is Lee Miller who was also born in the area

·         The late Roy Henderson was born in Wishaw and played goalie for Queen of the South

·         Also from Wishaw was the late Alex Wilson who played for Arsenal


Other notables of Wishaw
Of course there are a few other famous people who come from Wishaw including:

·         Snooker player John Higgins aka The Wizard of Wishaw was born here.  He has won the World Championship 3 times

·         Racing driver John Cleland also hails from Wishaw.  He won 2 championships racing in the British Touring Club Class.  He is now one of the commentators of the World Touring Club Series



·         Late film maker Enrico Cocozza came from Wishaw.  He made many films about the area and won awards back in the 1940s–50s.  In 2001 he was the subject of a documentary on Channel 4 called Artery: the story of Enrico Cocozza

·         Tom and Jack Alexander, the Alexander Brothers were a singing due who were born at Cambusnethan near Wishaw

·         Musician Alison Turriff grew up in Wishaw.  She plays the clarinet to concert standard

·         Journalists Alan Fisher (Al Jazeera English) and Deborah Orr both come from the area


Stairlifts
Back to those stairlifts.  We’re sure you haven’t forgotten all we told you about them but if you need to refresh you memory, just scroll to the top or have another look around our website.

If you’ve decided that a stairlift is the answer to your needs, then it’s all about making your decision which one, ordering and organising how you pay.  If the cost is prohibitive, please check to see if there are any grants that can help.  A good alternative is a short term % finance deal which helps you to pay in instalments but doesn’t cost you anything for the privilege.  Lastly don’t forget to claim our £50 voucher towards the costs – details are at the top of this blog.

Hope to hear from you soon on  0141 278 3929  .

Stairlifts Glenrothes – Stairlifts Fife

Click here to find new and reconditioned stairlifts in Glenrothes, Fife 

Castle Comfort Stairlifts offers top brand stairlifts, keen prices and fast installs for all those seeking stairlifts in Glenrothes, Fife. And all work comes with our no-quibble guarantees and famous customer service satisfaction.

Give us a call today on 0131 242 0046  If however, you are looking for fascinating facts about the area then feel free to read on.


Stairlifts Glenrothes – Stairlifts Fife

Glenrothes is an unusual town not least because of its short history.  Glenrothes is a new town conceived and built in the 1940s initially as a mining community.  The new Rothes Colliery would have its own town.  That is until the new colliery didn’t take off.  It was supposed to be the star colliery with all mod cons but the National Coal Board came across water, lots of it.  Local miners had always predicted that would be the case, but the experts went ahead with planning to mine 10 sq miles in the area with 2 deep shafts.  They got one part way down before they hit 1,000 of fast-flowing gallons of water.  To shore up the walls of the mine they would need unbelievably thick concrete, so the decision was taken to pump water out.  About 1,100 men mined what was accessible, less than half of predicted 2,500.  The mine never produced the amount of coal that was estimated.  By 1962 the mine was closed.

Stairlifts in Glenrothes
Castle Comfort Stairlifts have been supplying stairlifts all over the UK for 15 years now and we haven’t missed Glenrothes!  If getting up and down your stairs feels as formidable as descending a mine shaft, talk to us so that we can reassure you how safe one of our stairlifts is.

Around 195 retired inhabitants of Glenrothes already own a stairlift and have put that problem behind them.  You can see our scrolling counter of all those who own a stairlift here.  How has a stairlift helped them?  Well it helps to return your independence whilst at the same time increasing the safety of that journey up and down the stairs.

We supply stairlifts from all UK manufacturers including some made especially for us and also reconditioned ones.  So there’s a good choice and something that will suit you and your pockets.  Take a look at our prices and give us a call if we can help at all on  0131 242 0046 .

The new town
Glenrothes was built on land that had belonged to the Earl of Rothes. Glen was added to the name so that it wouldn’t be confused with the town Rothes in Moray and also to acknowledge that is was built in a river valley.  The land had been mainly agricultural with a few small hamlets in the area such as Cadham and Woodside.

Source:Public domain

When the colliery closed, the town developed as home of Scotland’s Silicon Glen between 1961 - 2000.  This is where a number of electrical and technical companies developed their businesses.

Balbirnie House
The family home of the Balfours was swallowed up in the development of the new town.  The house became council offices although they were sold off and the house is now run as a hotel.  The extensive parklands are now a golf course.  The house is a Category A Listed building.

Source:Public domain

Glenrothes Town Artists
For a number of years Glenrothes employed a city artist and evidence of their work and work of their assistants can be seen around the town.  Often the modern sculpture will make you smile, such as the thirsty hippos made in concrete by Stanley Bonnars.  They appear in various places around the town.  The Giant Irises were produced by one of the long-serving members of the artists’ group, Malcolm Robertson.  They were the entry for the Glasgow Garden Exhibition in 1988 and won the John Brown Clydebank award for the ‘Most Original and Amusing Artefact’.  Today they are planted in Leslie roundabout.  The Dream also by Malcolm Robertson is near Church Street in the town centre.

Famous people with Glenrothes connections
As Glenrothes is such a new town, there aren’t many historical connections apart from the Balfour family and the Earls of Rothes.  The 22nd Earl is James Malcolm David Leslie.  Their title goes back to the mid 15th century.

Later inhabitants with a claim to Glenrothes and fame seem to be lead by Dougray Scott.  Actor Dougray has a very successful TV and film career.  He appeared as the lead in Soldier, Soldier when it first aired on UK TV, the films Twin Town, Mission Impossible: II (hand picked by Tom Cruise), Enigma, Ripley’s Game and The Day of the Triffids.  He appeared in 18 episodes of successful US TV series Desperate Housewives and he will appear in Dr Who next year.

Did you know?
·         The Glenrothes Malt whiskey isn’t distilled in Glenrothes but in Speyside


·         The huge iris sculptures were part of Glenrothes exhibit at the Glasgow Garden Festival

·         The Thirsty Hippos sculptures that can be seen at several locations in the town  were created by Stanley Bonnar one of Glenrothes Town Artists

·         That a stairlift from Castle Comfort Stairlifts could improve your life no end?



Stairlifts for you

·         We have straight, curved and perch stairlifts to address your needs

·         We have reconditioned stairlifts available

·         We can install a stairlift in your home in less than half a day

·         We have a 24/7 after care service to ensure you stay mobile

·         See what customers have said about our stairlifts

·         Take a look at the possibilities of grants or 0% finance to fund your purchase

·         Use the £50 voucher at the top of this page towards the cost

·         For more information, call us on 0131 242 0046

Stairlifts Bishopbriggs – Greater Glasgow

Click here to find new and reconditioned stairlifts in Bishopbriggs, Greater Glasgow 

Castle Comfort Stairlifts offers top brand stairlifts, keen prices and fast installs for all those seeking stairlifts in Bishopbriggs, Greater Glasgow. And all work comes with our no-quibble guarantees and famous customer service satisfaction.

Give us a call today on 0141 278 3929  If however, you are looking for fascinating facts about the area then feel free to read on.

Stairlifts Bishopbriggs – Greater Glasgow

Castle Comfort Stairlifts know that about 120 of the population in Bishopbriggs own stairlifts to enable them to lead a more independent life.  How do we know?  It’s simple, we keep count!  You can check out our ever changing scrolling counter on our website.

As we live longer with the aid of modern medicine, many of us need assistance to get up and down the stairs.  Not only is this a major inconvenience but it doesn’t help with our confidence.  With a stairlift you can regain your self-belief.

If you or a loved one could benefit from a stairlift please take a look at the types we can supply and install.  Once the best one for you and your home is assessed and sorted, installation can be achieved in less than half a day.  We supply a number of different styles, straight, curved, perch and even heavy duty, bariatric ones that will carry heavier weights.  We can offer unbiased advice as we supply stairlifts from all UK manufacturers and with our 15 year’s experience we know which works best in differing circumstances.  Take a look around our website and if you still have questions, please give us a call on  0141 278 3929 .

Bishopbriggs in Greater Glasgow
It’s always fascinating to learn how towns got their name and who is connected to them.  Bishopbriggs is no different.  There are still arguments about how the name Bishopbriggs came about.  Some say it refers to the Bishops Bridge over the Callie Burn.  Others say the middle ‘b’ has been added to make it easier to say and that its derivation comes from Bishops Riggs meaning the tithes or taxes claimed by the Bishop of Glasgow.

And we all know how place names change over the centuries.  In the case of Bishopbriggs there don’t appear to be any records to this effect, apart from the fact that for hundreds of years it was just a small part of the larger Cadder.

Now Bishopbriggs is geographically close to Glasgow and effectively acts as a suburb or commuter town for its much larger neighbour.

Industry in Bishopbriggs
With transport courtesy of the Forth and Clyde Canal completed towards the end of the 18th century, it heralded the beginning of the ironstone and coal mining industries in the area. Although Bishopbriggs developed slowly the arrival of the railway in the middle of the 19th century, industry was once again given a boost.  By this time the town had become famous as a freestone quarrying district.  The area supplied blonde sandstone for many municipal buildings including the new University in Glasgow’s main building.  As the century went on, red sandstone was also quarried in the area but the blonde sandstone retained its value.  In fact by the 1850s they began to mine for it rather than quarry.  Unfortunately after a bad fall which killed several men at nearby Huntershill, quarrying stopped altogether in Bishopbriggs at the beginning of the 20th century.

Source: Wikipedia User Dumgoyne

Despite this set back to Bishopbriggs economy, by the end of the 1920s Blackie and Sons Publishers came to the town establishing a huge printing works on a 13 acre site.  During World War II part of Blackie’s Bishopbriggs site was used to produce 3.45 shells for the Ministry of Supply, as well as producing aircraft radiators for ship builders and engineers William Beardmore Company.  Blackie and Sons made Bishopbriggs the HQ but eventually the printing works were not needed.  The site was sold off for local housing and the estate retains the printing works original name, Villafield.

War Effort
With industry helping to produce parts for our all important services it’s not surprising that Bishopbriggs took a hit from the German bombers.  The only real target was RAF Bishopbriggs a barrage balloon depot.  The Luftwaffe struck on a night in April in 1941.  This was just one of a series of ongoing raids that year on Greater Glasgow. There were a couple of direct hits and unfortunately a few deaths.

Famous residents
Bishopbriggs has known a few celebrities over the years.  An early person recognised for her connection to Bishopbriggs is Sister Laura Marian Smith.  She was a nurse at Glasgow Royal Maternity Hospital about 100 years ago.  After noticing how children of the period showed high levels of malnutrition she developed or is credited for developing a Casein inhibitor.  Casein is found in cow’s milk and is hard for the very young to digest.  A powered milk formula was developed from this discovery though not by sister Laura, but a Dr Findlay – and we don’t mean the fictitious one with a ‘Casebook’.  Sister Laura was one of the production company’s original shareholders though she had sold her interests in the company by 1920.  The purpose built factory to manufacture Sister Laura’s Food Supplement was built in Bishopbriggs.  With the arrival of the NHS malnutrition was barely known and their core product sales declined.  Although the factory branched out into other food stuffs it never regained its success and the factory closed in 1969.

Source:Public domain

Kenmure House was built by Scottish architect David Hamilton in 1806.  He was known as ‘the father of his profession’.  This was the seat of the Maxwell MacDonald Baronets  The house was built in 1806 and demolished in 1955.  The Bishopbriggs golf club now covers the parkland that was once part of this estate.

Thomas Muir was an 18th century political reformer who lived in Bishopbriggs at Huntershill House.
Dirk Bogarde the English actor and author lived in Bishopbriggs for a time possibly when he was a student.  His ancestry was a mix of Scottish, Dutch and Flemish.  He had a successful film career appearing in well known films such as Death in Venice, A Bridge too Far and Oh What a Lovely War.

Source: Wikipedia User Dumgoyne

TV presenter Jenni Falconer grew up here.  She’s probably latterly best known for hosting The Lottery Show.

Brothers Hardeep Singh Kohli, journalist and TV presenter and Sanjeev Kohli, writer, comedian and actor moved here with their family when they were youngsters and grew up in Bishopbriggs.

Director and actor Peter Capaldi went to school here.  He has made several successful films such as Local Hero and appeared in a number of well known TV programs such as The Vicar of Dibley, Torchwood, Dr Who and Skins.

Remember we can help
Back to stairlifts.  We don’t want anyone in the area to suffer the inconvenience that old age sometimes bring.  Castle Comfort Stairlifts have been there and know how distressing it can be if a member of your family has a problem with mobility.  We really want to help.

Check out our prices.  We supply reconditioned chairlifts too and remember there are some grants available to help with costs.  You could also consider the possibility of a 0% finance option.  You can even use the £50 voucher at the top of this blog towards the cost.

Give us a call today so that we can get the ball rolling,  0141 278 3929 .

Stairlifts Helensburgh - Stairlifts Argyll and Bute

Click here to find new and reconditioned stairlifts in Helensburgh, Argyll and Bute

Castle Comfort Stairlifts offers top brand stairlifts, keen prices and fast installs for all those seeking stairlifts in Helensburgh, Argyll and Bute. And all work comes with our no-quibble guarantees and famous customer service satisfaction.

Give us a call today on 0141 278 3929  If however, you are looking for fascinating facts about the area then feel free to read on.


Stairlifts Helensburgh - Stairlifts Argyll and Bute

Helensburgh is said to be the second most expensive place to buy property in Scotland.  This little seaside town sits on the banks of the Firth of Clyde and the entrance to the sea inlet of Gareloch.

Helensburgh’s origins started in 1776 when Sir James Colquhorn built spa baths there actually on the original site of Ardencaple Castle.  Today the only part of the castle that remains is the tower which is used as an aid to navigation on the Firth of Clyde.

Once the spa baths were built, Colquhorn built the new seaside town adjacent to the baths that he named after his wife Helen.  He laid the town out in the style of Edinburgh New Town based on a grid system.  He also arranged a ferry service to the other side of the Firth of Clyde so that people could commute from work in Greenock to live in the stylish Helensburgh.

By the end of the 19th century holiday makers were arriving to enjoy this new seaside town by paddle steamer up the Clyde from Glasgow and by rail.  The steamers stopped at Helensburgh and Craigendoran piers.

Helensburgh retains its original charm with wide, elegant tree-lined streets, a long promenade and many green parks and gardens.

Nowadays, Helensburgh is a commuter town for Glasgow as well as attracting tourists.  It is also close to the Naval Base Faslane which is the site where the British nuclear deterrent fleet operate from.  A lot of Helensburgh’s economy depends on the income generated by links with the Base.

Castle Comfort Stair Lifts
If you or a loved one living in Helensborough or the local area has mobility problems, we are just the people to help and advise.  We have been supplying stairlifts to the folks in the UK for virtually 15 years so we know a thing or two about what you’ll need.

There are already around 75 people in Helensburgh who own a stairlift; that’s roughly 2.6% of the retired population in the area.  You can see just how many people use this mode of transport up and down the stairs by checking out our scrolling counter here.

Whilst you’re checking the counter take a look at the services we offer from supply and installation to after sales service.  Don’t worry if you know nothing about stairlifts we have a wealth of information that you can read about including prices, comparison of the different makes and even differing stairlifts for your needs.

Still got questions?  Why not give our local office a call on  0141 278 3929 .

Hill House
Hill House is in the northern part of the town and was built for the publisher Walter Blackie by well-known architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh.  Most of the interior rooms and furniture were also designed by Mackintosh.  The house is now owned by the National Trust of Scotland and can be visited throughout the summer and on selected days through the winter.


Loch Lomond
Literally just down the road is Loch Lomond, it’s less than 10 miles away.  Everyone’s heard of Loch Lomond even though it doesn’t boast a mystical monster like its northerly cousin Loch Ness.

Source:Wikipedia 

Loch Lomond is the largest inland lake in the British Isles – its 24 miles long and some almost 1 to 5 miles wide.  It contains 30 plus islands of which Inchmurrin is the largest.  Several are also thought to be man-made from prehistoric times.  Lomond falls within the Trossacks National Park and there is no doubt that it is an area of extreme natural beauty.  It contains 21 Munros or mountains but none of them compete with Ben Nevis further north, the highest mountain in the British Isles.

You’ll find great nature trails and walks in Balloch Country Park at the southern tip of Loch Lomond.

Famous folks from Helensburgh
·         John Logie Baird famous for pioneering the invention of television in Great Britain was born in Helensburgh.  He produced an early greyscale broadcast.  He also tried to create diamonds from graphite and caused Glasgow’s electricity supply to short

·         Fittingly an actor who first made his name on television lives in the area now.  Robbie Coltrane came to fame on our small screens in a number of productions including Cracker, the Gruffalo, Tutti Fruiti, Blackadder’s Christmas Carol and too many more to list.  In latter years he has become renowned for his part as Hagrid in the Harry Potter films.  Although his career in both television and films started simultaneously around 1980, he never seems to have left one screen or the other

·         Actress Deborah Kerr probably best remembered for her role in the film The King and I spent the first few years of her life in Helensburgh.  She was nominated 6 times for an Academy Award but never won.  She appeared in a number of successful films including From Here to Eternity, Black Narcissus, An Affair to Remember, The life and Death of Colonel Blimp.  She has a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame

Source:Wikipedia

·         Scottish drummer Kenny Hislop is also from Helensburgh.  He joined Midge Ure in Slik and went on to play with Simple Minds for a short time


·         Television director Tom Vaughan grew up in Helensburgh.  He directed the TV series Cold Feet and He Knew He was Right and films What Happens in Vegas and Extraordinary Measures.  He currently has two films in post-production


Just a quick reminder, Castle Comfort Stair Lifts can help everyone find the best stairlift for their needs.  We can even advise about meeting the costs via possible grants or 0% finance options.  You’ll even find a £50 off voucher at the top of this blog to use towards the purchase.  And don’t forget we have a number of reconditioned models which keep the costs down too.

We can have you mobile again in less than half a day – yes that’s the most time it takes to install a stairlift and you could be in control again.  Just call us today on  0141 278 3929 .

Stairlifts Falkirk – Stairlifts Stirlingshire

Click here to find new and reconditioned stairlifts in Falkirk, Stirlingshire


Castle Comfort Stairlifts offers top brand stairlifts, keen prices and fast installs for all those seeking stairlifts in Falkirk, Stirlingshire. And all work comes with our no-quibble guarantees and famous customer service satisfaction.

Give us a call today on 0131 242 0046  If however, you are looking for fascinating facts about the area then feel free to read on.


Stairlifts Falkirk – Stairlifts Stirlingshire

Falkirk sits about halfway between Glasgow and Edinburgh though slightly to the north.  It sits at the junction of the Forth and Clyde Canal and the Union Canal which has stood Falkirk in good stead over the centuries in terms industry.

This junction has produced one of Falkirk’s most iconic landmarks and attractions of recent times, the Falkirk Wheel.  Essentially it is a boat lift to connect these two canals which had previously been linked by 11 locks.  Where the canals meet there is a height difference of some 24 metres, the equivalent of 8 storeys.

Source:Ruth Harris

Castle Comfort Stair Lifts to the rescue
Imagine if the height difference between your ground floor and your bedroom was that high.  You might need a stairlift for each flight.  Fortunately for many of you who find the stairs daunting or painful or just plain impossible, Castle Comfort Stair Lifts can help.

We can supply and install stairlifts supplied by all the main UK suppliers so there is something to suit everyone’s home and all manner of personal needs.  Believe it or not there are already about 175 people in Falkirk who have succumbed to the charms of a stairlift.  How do we know – take a look at our home page here to see our scrolling counter which keeps count.  So if you’re living in the area and need one, you won’t be alone.

You can review our performance by seeing what others have to say and checking out our stairlift prices.  Of course if you have any queries or need more information, please give our local office a call on  0131 242 0046 .

The Falkirk Wheel
The wheel is something else.  And even it can’t deliver a boat directly from one to the other.  The Union Canal is 11 metres higher than the aquaduct at the top of the wheel so that boats must still go through two locks to descend from this canal to the aquaduct and vice versa.  The aquaduct could not have been placed higher due to the historic Antoine Wall which was built by the Romans.


Then this amazing feat of engineering transports boats up or down that 24 metres so that they can be on their way on the adjoining canal.  The wheel was opened in 2002 as part of the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations.

Some facts about the wheel
·         It has a diameter of 35 metres

·         Its balancing water tanks or gondolas contain 80,000 gallons of water

·         The wheel works on the Archimedes’ Principle i.e. when a boat enters exactly the same weight of water is displaced so that it retains its balance

·         It’s the only rotating boat lift in the world

·         The Anderton Boat Lift in Cheshire works on the same principle but does not rotate

·         The Falkirk Wheel features on the back of £50 notes issued by the Bank of Scotland commemorating Scottish engineering


Falkirk’s industrial history
During the Industrial Revolution, Falkirk was at the heart of heavy industry in Scotland.  This included the iron and steel industries.  James Watt cast some of the beams for one of his early steam engines here at the Carron Iron Works.  They also manufactured Carronades – smooth barrelled canons - for the Royal Navy and then pillar boxes for all over the UK.  I wonder what they’d have thought of them painted gold to celebrate gold medal winners in this year’s Olympics?

Source:Flickr Matthew Smith

Johnston Press was founded in Falkirk in the mid 1800’s.  Now its headquarters are in Edinburgh and it is still the second largest regional newspaper publisher in the UK.  The Scotsman, The Yorkshire Post and The Falkirk Herald are all published by Johnston Press.

Historic Buildings
The A listed Callendar House was built in the style of a French Renaissance chateau complete with turrets.  It dates from the 14th century though little of the original house remains.  It has welcomed some important people through its doors including Mary, Queen of Scots, Oliver Cromwell, Bonnie Prince Charlie and Queen Victoria.

Source:Ruth Harris

In the 18th century the Forbes family acquired the property.  William Forbes of Carron Iron Foundry bought the property for £100,000.  The house now belongs to Falkirk Burgh Council and has been restored to its former Georgian glory, complete with a fully working kitchen of the period.  It houses the local museum including a history research facility.

The Dunmore Pineapple is described as a folly.  It is the decorative motive on the wall around the gardens of Dunmore House home to the Earls of Dunmore.  A ‘hothouse’ was built into the wall where pineapples were grown.  The hothouse not only had a wall of glass to get heat from the sun, but was helped to keep high temperatures by a furnace heating system built into the wall too.  This system circulated heat from the furnace through the wall cavities which heated the space.

Source:Publicdomain

A few of the famous of Falkirk
·         Robert Barr started his business producing Irn Bru in Falkirk.  This fizzy drink is still the best selling soft drink in Scotland.  It became very popular with foundry workers in Falkirk and Glasgow for quenching their thirst after the hot work in the foundry


·         William Forbes who was the founder of the Carron Iron Works.  Forbes lived in Callendar House


·         Elizabeth Fraser, singer with the Cocteau Twins was born in nearby Grangemouth.  She was once described as ‘the voice of God’ for her beautiful singing voice

·         Forbes Masson actor and writer was born in Falkirk.  He is known for his comic partnership with Alan Cumming and also classical theatre performances


·         Dame Elizabeth Blackadder is a real person from Falkirk not a character in a famous comedy series!  She is the first woman artist to be elected to the Royal Scottish Academy and the Royal Academy

·         Gold medal gymnast (2002 Commonwealth games) for men’s rings, Steve Frew was born in Falkirk.  Steve has competed for Scotland on more than 100 occasions



Calling Castle Comfort Stairlifts
If you or someone close to you living in this attractive town needs help to get up and down the stairs, we can help.  Castle Comfort Stair Lifts will have a solution to your problem.  We can fit a stairlift in half a day or less and we offer 24/7 aftercare so that you are never left stranded.



Compare the different stairlifts we supply for yourself and if you have any concerns, get in touch.  If you need help with the costs, please take a look at the possibilities of a grant or a 0% finance deal.  You can even use the £50 voucher at the top of this page towards the cost of your chairlift.



If you want to get this started, give us a call on 0131 242 0046 .

Stairlifts Dumbarton - West Dumbartonshire Stairlifts

Click here to find new and reconditioned stairlifts in Dumbarton, West Dumbartonshire

Castle Comfort Stairlifts offers top brand stairlifts, keen prices and fast installs for all those seeking stairlifts in Dumbarton,West Dumbartonshire. And all work comes with our no-quibble guarantees and famous customer service satisfaction.

Give us a call today on 0141 278 3929  If however, you are looking for fascinating facts about the area then feel free to read on.


Stairlifts Dumbarton

The point where the River Clyde is joined by the River Leven is where you’ll find Dumbarton once the capital of Strathclyde.  Dumbarton means ‘hill fort of the Britons’ so you won’t be surprised to learn that there is an imposing castle built on the protruding crag on the river.  This crag is also known as Clyde Rock.

There’s has been a settlement here since at least the Iron Age.  The name of the town and other evidence suggests that the first settlements were ancient Britons (Celts) who spoke a form of Welsh.

Dumbarton’s chequered career through history shows that the town suffered many losses from the Black Death in the 14th century but that 3 centuries later was an important trading port with the West Indies.  By the beginning of the 18th century it was the biggest glass producer especially for bottles and windows.  During World War II it was heavily bombed as German bombers targeted the shipyards.

Castle Comfort Stair Lifts
We can’t quite boast such a long history but Castle Comfort Stair Lifts has been in business long enough to know a lot about stairlifts.  If you or a loved one is in need of help to climb or descend the stairs, we have a solution.  We have access to stairlifts of all kinds – straight, curved, perch, even bariatric – to make it possible for you to reclaim that upper floor of your home.

With supplies from all of the UK’s manufacturers including one produced especially for us plus reconditioned ones, we are sure to be able to find the right one for you.  Have a look at how they compare to one another and what prices they come in at before making your decision.

There are already over 100 people in Dumbarton who have already discovered how a stairlift can help.  If you want to join the ever-growing numbers, please give our local Glasgow office a call on  0141 278 3929 .

Shipbuilding at Dumbarton
As the glass industry declined in the early 19th century, shipbuilding came to the fore.  This remained the industry focus well into the 20th century.  Dumbarton was home to many shipbuilding yards though many of the smaller ones were swallowed up by larger companies.

Many well known ships were built here but probably the most famous is the Cutty Sark (built by Scott & Linton).  Today you can see the Cutty Sark, a Tea Clipper – fast sailing ships with three or more masts - at a dry dock in Greenwich in London.  The Cutty Sark was the last Tea Clipper to be built and was undoubtedly one of the fastest.

Source:Public domain

At the beginning of the 19th century one of Dumbarton’s longest lasting shipbuilders, William Denny and Brothers built the Rob Roy, named after Scotland’s famous folk hero. The Rob Roy was the first steam powered ferry travelling across the English Channel.  Denny’s are also responsible for the Second Snark which is still in use taking people for trips along the Firth of Clyde.

Source:Wikipedia

Denny’s were famous for their commitment to research and development and gained respect in two particular areas: the development of high pressure turbines and hull stabilisation.  They built a prototype helicopter at the beginning of the 20th century and were later involved in the development of hovercraft i.e. the Denny D2 Hoverbus.

The Scottish Maritime Museum has the original Denny Ship Model Experiment Tank on show which retains many of its original features.  The tank is as long as a football pitch and was used to test ships and their hulls in water and conditions to simulate those they’d meet at sea.

Whisky production
Whisky production grew as shipbuilding faded.  A former Glasgow based distillery, Ballantine’s was moved over to Dumbarton.  They built a large operation on the River Leven where once ship building yards had been.  Hiram Walker brought the distillery over to Dumbarton and the industry grew and thrived in the area until the late 20th century.  Hiram Walker were acquired by Allied Breweries and then taken over by Pernod Ricard.  The distillery was closed in 2002.

Source: Wikipedia

Other distilleries in the area – Interleven and J&B have also closed.  Interleven retains a bottling site and J&B’s site has become a film set.  As one door closes another opens ...

Did you know?
A large flock of Chinese white geese were introduced to the Ballantine’s distillery back in 1959.  At first just 6 birds ‘patrolled’ the distillery but grew to 100.  They became known as the ‘Scotch Watch’ and were used in Ballantine’s advertising for their blended whisky.  They were also quite a tourist attraction.

Dumbarton is now mainly a commuter town for Glasgow less than 15 miles away with the Faslane naval base as the largest local employer.

More did you knows?
·         Scottish poet Robbie Burns was made a freeman of Dumbarton

·         Motor racing driver, Sir Jackie Stewart was born here.  He was nicknamed the ‘Flying Scot’ winning 3 world championships during his driving career from 1965 – 73.  Before becoming a racing driver, Jackie won championships in Skeet Shooting – British, Welsh, Scottish and European.

Source: Wikipedia

·         Author A J Cronin probably best known for his radio and TV scripts for Dr Finlay’s Casebook has links to the town.  His maternal grandfather owned a hat shop in Dumbarton.  Cronin also published novels like The Stars look down and The Citadel which were made into films

·         David Byrne, the founding member of globally successful band Talking Heads was born in Dumbarton.  Byrne, the principal songwriter for the group has won Grammy and Academy Awards and a Golden Globe.  Byrne’s family moved to Canada and then the USA where David was brought up.  He currently lives in New York City but has never applied for citizenship so remains a British Citizen

Flickr:Fred von Lohmann

·         Glasgow band Franz Ferdinand have sampled Talking Heads’ Burning Down the House in their remixed hit song Take me Out

Wikipedia:Shokoishikawa

Dumbarton Castle
We can’t not mention Dumbarton Castle which was built on that volcanic crag.  The Castle defends the meeting point of the two rivers, Clyde and Leven.  There has been a castle here for more than 1,500 years.  The Rock on which the Castle is built rises sheer out of the water and has two points – White tower Crag and the Beak – with amazing views.

Merlin is said to have visited the castle.  Originally a British settlement, it was laid to siege by the Vikings and eventually taken over by Kenneth MacAlpin, King of the Picts when Strathclyde was independent.  Later the castle sheltered David II and his wife, James I was imprisoned here, Mary Queen of Scots also took shelter here before heading for France.  William Wallace may have been a prisoner here too.  The Wallace Tower is thought to be named in his honour.

Nowadays there are no traces of the original castle and only the Portcullis and the foundations of the Wallace Tower and the possible foundations of the White Tower remain from the medieval castle built by Alexander II.  The 16th century Guard House is still there and most of the 18th century buildings including the Governor’s House.  The Castle is open to the public daily during the summer and from Saturday – Wednesday in the winter.  Visitors will have to climb more than 550 steps to see the White Tower Crag.  It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument owned by the Scottish government.

Too many steps
More than 550 steps is far too many unless you are really fit.  Remember if even the stairs in your home are daunting, Castle Comfort Stairlifts can help.

We can sort you out with a stairlift suitable for you and your home and have it installed in less than half a day.  After that we have 24/7 after sales care to make sure you are never left stranded.  If you want to know more, please give us a call on  0141 278 3929 .

Stairlifts Stirling – Argyll Stairlifts

Click here to find new and reconditioned stairlifts in Stirling, Argyll

Castle Comfort Stairlifts offers top brand stairlifts, keen prices and fast installs for all those seeking stairlifts in Stirling, Argyll. And all work comes with our no-quibble guarantees and famous customer service satisfaction.

Give us a call today on 0131 242 0046  If however, you are looking for fascinating facts about the area then feel free to read on.


Stairlifts Stirling

Stirling Castle sits majestically on a craggy rock above the city of Stirling, once the capital of Scotland and the Castle was home of the Royal Stewarts.

Stirling itself sits on the boundary between the Scottish Highlands and the Lowlands.  It has been known as the ‘Gateway to the Highlands’ through history and also as the ‘brooch’ which keeps these two areas together.

A service in Stirling
What’s keeping your downstairs and upstairs together?  Not a brooch but stairs probably.  If these have become a problem for you then Castle Comfort Stair Lifts has the solution.  We know a lot about stairlifts having set up our business almost 15 years ago and we will have one just right for you.  We have stairlifts for straight and curved staircases and even solutions if there are other problems i.e. if you can’t bend your knees, we have a perch stairlift.  Join the ‘in’ crowd – there are already almost 200 people in Stirling who have discovered that owning a stairlift has improved their lives.  We know because we keep count, you can see for yourselves here.

Check out our prices and the different types of stairlifts.  Still got questions?  Please give us a call on  0131 242 0046 .

Stirling’s History
The first settlement here dates back to the Stone Age and by Roman times, it was important because of its geographical position.  But Stirling is probably best known for the Wars of Scottish Independence in the 13th century.  The Battle of Stirling Bridge (nearby) where William Wallace a national hero, out-witted the English Army which had many more troops than he had at his command.

Source:Public domain

William Wallace is the inspiration for the film Braveheart.  There is now a monument to William Wallace in Stirling.  You can climb to the top – 247 steps - to see amazing views both across the town and to the Ochil Hills and beyond.  Inside the Monument you can listen to William Wallace’s trial by the English King Edward I which resulted in Wallace’s execution.

And it was here about a century later that Robert the Bruce won independence for Scotland at the Battle of Bannockburn.

Walking through Stirling’s Old Town is like a history tour in itself!   Overlooking the main street in the city, Broad Street is:
·         The Tolbooth which was Stirling’s original administrative centre and sight of public executions until the middle of the 19th century

·         Find Mar’s Wark at the top of the street which was the imposing home of the Regent of Scotland

·         A restored nobleman’s townhouse and The Guildhall both dating back to the mid 17th century

·         The 15th century Church of the Holy Rude where King James VI was crowned

Source:Public domain

·         See some of the oldest headstones in Britain in the cemetery next door

·         Find Stirling’s Old Town Jail beneath the castle where you can visit the thick-walled cells and learn about former inmates

·         Visit Stirling Old Bridge in the centre of Stirling which crosses the River Forth to see where William Wallace carried out his great feat.  You can still just see the submerged wooden pillars of an earlier bridge

·         Find Cambuskenneth Abbey on the River Forth where Robert the Bruce held an historic parliament meeting just before the Battle of Bannackburn

·         King James III and Queen Margaret of Denmark are buried at the Abbey

·         Stirling’s 16th century Town Wall is the best surviving town wall in Scotland.  You can follow the route of the wall from the centre of the modern city to the centre of Stirling Old Town

·         The Back Walk goes around Stirling Old Town and Stirling Castle.  Places along this walk offer amazing views of the Highlands peaks

·         The Stirling Smith Art Gallery & Museum has a wide range of exhibits from the historical to the artistic.  There is also a fascinating illustration of Stirling’s story over the past 1,000 years


Stirling Castle
The castle sits on a rocky crag giving a sheer drop on three sides of the building which means it was relatively easy to defend.

The first mention of Stirling Castle occurred in the 12th century when King Alexander I dedicated a chapel here.  The Great Hall was the home of the Scottish Parliament and the Castle was the home of the Royal family.

Royal Connections with Stirling Castle:
·         Alexander 1 died here

·         David I made Stirling a royal burgh

·         William I introduced a deer park to the grounds of the Castle

·         Castle formerly handed to Richard I of England when William was captured

·         William died here too

·         Alexander III laid out the Park for deer hunting in the 13th century

·         Robert II and III both had work done on the Castle during their reigns.  Some of these early parts still survive

·         The Castle was part of the marriage settlement between James II and Joan Beaufort

·         James II lived here with his mother for 15 years after James I was murdered

·         James III was born in the Castle; he was responsible for work to the gardens and the Chapel Royal

·         Margaret of Denmark, wife of James III died here

·         James IV held a full Court at the Castle and made improvements to the buildings

·         After James IV’s death his son, James V was crowned King in the Chapel Royal before he was old enough to walk.  He continued the building works started by his father for his second wife Mary of Guise

Source:Public domain

·         Their daughter Mary, Queen of Scots was crowned in the Chapel Royal and brought up in the Castle

Source:Public domain

·         She went away to France and on her return she married Henry Stuart

·         Their son, James VI was brought up in the Castle even though his parents were estranged, they            both lived there


·         Henry, James VI’s son was born and lived here but died at 18 of Typhoid Fever

·         When James became King of England as well, the family moved to London

·         Charles I, James Vi’s second son visited the Castle

·         His son Charles II visited the Castle; he was the last Monarch to stay at Stirling Castle


Did you know?
·         That at the beginning of the 17th century the town council banned late night drinking because it was offending God and disturbing others?

·         That Rabbie Burns scratched a verse on the window of an Inn in Stirling about the state of the Castle?

·         That in 1800 when Stirling had a population of 5,000 there were 90 alehouses here?

·         That Stirling was chosen as the site for Scotland’s first ‘new university’ in 1964?

·         That in the Queen’s Jubilee year 2002, Stirling was granted the status of ‘city’

·         That British Champion Jockey Willie Carson comes from Stirling?  He won almost 4,000 races, was British Champion Jockey 5 times and won 17 British Classic races

·         That Kenny Logan, Scottish rugby union player was born here?

·         That a host of ‘then and now’ footballers can claim Stirling as their home town?  They include: Frank Beattie, Alex Bone, Billy Bremner, John Brown, Gary and Steven Caldwell, John Colquhoun, Callum Davidson, Kenny Deuchar, Jamie Fowler, Willie Garner, Gary Gillespie, David Goodwillie, David Graham, Dale Hilson, Willie Irvine, Kevin Kelbie, Andy Kennedy, Stewart Kennedy, Sean Kilgannon, Allan McGonigal, Paul McHale, Kevin McKinlay, Chris Mitchell, Gary Muir, Stevie Nicholas, David O’Brien, John Philliben, Scott Severin, Ray Sharp, John Shaw, Ronnie Sinclair, Jim Thomson, Jo Tortolano and Iain Turner.  Enough for three teams!

Billy Bremner -Source:Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-N0614-0028 / CC-BY-SA

·         That Stirling is also the home town of John Grierson a pioneer in documentary film making?

·         That Muir Mathieson composer of film music calls this his home town?

·         That animation inspiration Norman McClaren is also from Stirling?

·         That assorted Scottish Kings and Queens have connections with Stirling?



Did you know?
That Castle Comfort Stair Lifts can help you regain your independence.  Owning a stairlift is the perfect answer to making the upper floor of your house accessible.  We can make it happen as quickly as you can say William Wallace.  Installations take less than half a day, some less than a couple of hours and our after sales service is excellent.

All you need to do is give us a call on  0131 242 0046 .