Broad Street

Broad Street was the commercial and administrative heart of the medieval Burgh. The Tolbooth was built in 1705, and the unicorn of the Mercat Cross dates to the 16^th century.

Since 1226, there has been a market place centred on Broad Street sitting just below the Castle. The market was the heart of the Burgh and the commercial life it supported. It was also the place where people were hanged and put in the stocks. Broad Street is also home to Stirling’s Mercat Cross and Tolbooth, both of which reflect the ancient burgh’s trading rights.

The column of the Mercat Cross dates to 1891, the earlier cross having been removed in 1792 to improve traffic flow, but the unicorn sculpture which sits atop it is much older, it was carved in the 16^th century. 

The Tolbooth sits beside the Mercat Cross on Broad Street. In 1689, the original Tolbooth building was declared ruinous by the town council, so it was rebuilt in 1704 to the plans of architect Sir William Bruce, who also designed Holyrood Place in Edinburgh. Master Mason Gideon Gray built the Tolbooth as well as the Golden Lion on King Street. The new Tolbooth contained the courtroom, prison and burgh offices. In 2002 this Category A Listed building was converted into an event space for music and the arts and is owned by Stirling Council.