Week 7

A detailed look at Stirling Bridge.

Plus the usual roundup of forthcoming events.

What I have been upto

So another excellent Scottish result. But the key not of my entry this week is that I spent a week watching holes being dug next to Stirling Bridge for the installation of a new lighting system which will be turned on by James Cosmo at Friday 10th March 6:45 which will be free and then followed by a  ticket only concert.

The more eagle eyed amongst you will have spotted a low arch at the castle end of the bridge. I have always wondered if this is a pre-bridge structure.

The pre-bridge structure.

This of course raises the possibility that its tied to the mill lade which runs from Cambusbarron and lies outside the 12th century boundary. This raises the possibility that the structure was there at the time of the battle. We found more of this structure and my even have found a lade running to it. I plan to return at some point. However, to my mind an even more astonishing discovery was what appears to be stone supports for a wooden overgate at the bridge, that lain in plain site without ever being commented on. The bridge originally had two gates which were cleared in the 18th century. I think that these are probably the only remnant of a gate bridge in Scotland!

The bridge with both gate s and the central covers for sentries/pedestrians from Slezer’s early 18th century print.
The remains of the stone support on the upstream side of the bridge on the castle bank.

As before I am definitely having email problems so if you don’t get a reply it’s because I haven’t seen it so please try my gmail m.j.cookstirling35@gmail.com

Forthcoming Events

List of events for the month ahead.

You can find all events in the Events Calendar.

This week’s joke

So a very old joke….two good pals, Bob and Billy, neither the brightest bulb in the box decide to get a John Wayne DVD. Bob says to Billy I reckon John Wayne will fall of his horse…what do you think? Maybe put a £5 bet on? Billy accepts the bet and John Wayne falls of his horse. Billy gives Bob the fiver but Bob says he can’t take it, he cheated he had seen it before and knew what would happen. Billy says so had he but he didn’t think that John Wayne would’ve wouldn’t have fallen of twice!
 
Oh dear….a new low!

And the poem

Anyway this week’s poem is one of the current poet laureate’s which I’m not sure I enjoyed at all but…..

And if it snowed and snow covered the drive
he took a spade and tossed it to one side.
And always tucked his daughter up at night
And slippered her the one time that she lied.
And every week he tipped up half his wage.
And what he didn’t spend each week he saved.
And praised his wife for every meal she made.
And once, for laughing, punched her in the face.
 
And for his mum he hired a private nurse.
And every Sunday taxied her to church.
And he blubbed when she went from bad to worse.
And twice he lifted ten quid from her purse.
 
Here’s how they rated him when they looked back:
sometimes he did this, sometimes he did that.

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