Stylish, distinctive and lovely to look at – that’s the exclusive new Stirling Castle tartan. It has been created to help raise the castle’s profile as one of Scotland’s great heritage attractions. The tartan is being used to help promote the castle worldwide, and is at the heart of the redesigned uniforms our staff are now wearing. These smart outfits, designed to withstand everything the Scottish weather can come up with, help give visitors a good impression and reflect our pride in the castle itself.

We also want visitors and friends of the castle to be able to enjoy the tartan for themselves. Right now we have Tam O’ Shanter hats (£15.95) plus ties (£10.95) and scarves (£13.95) available in the Stirling Castle Tartan. They are all available from the castle’s shops and could make a great little Christmas gift.

The tartan is just one element of our wider work to raise the profile of the castle, and hopefully to attract even more visitors to enjoy the city and its surrounding countryside. This included the development of a new brand, aimed at further marking out the castle as a must-see Scottish attraction. Perhaps the most striking aspect of the brand is the elegant unicorn logo, which provides the castle with a memorable and inspirational visual image which embodies its importance and character.

The unicorn was chosen because it is a traditional symbol of the Scottish kings and queens for who Stirling Castle was a favourite residence. Images of unicorns can also be seen in several parts of the castle, from the beautiful stone carving on the roof of the Great Hall, to the huge hand-woven tapestries hung on the walls of the Chapel Royal.