The Church of the Holy Rood
Photo added by Cheryl Dieter

The Church of the Holy Rood

Also known as The Church of the Holy Rude

Stirling, Stirling, Scotland

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  • Get directions Stirling, Stirling, Scotland
    Coordinates: 56.12099, -3.94524
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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 15th century.


Tradition says that King James IV may have helped masons build the later eastern end during the early 16th century. In 1567, the infant King James VI was crowned here, by which time the church was a reformed place of worship. Bullet marks on the tower may date from a siege of the castle by Cromwell's troops in 1651.


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 (listed separately) to the north, divided from the old cemetery by only a path.


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





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 15th century.


Tradition says that King James IV may have helped masons build the later eastern end during the early 16th century. In 1567, the infant King James VI was crowned here, by which time the church was a reformed place of worship. Bullet marks on the tower may date from a siege of the castle by Cromwell's troops in 1651.


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 (listed separately) to the north, divided from the old cemetery by only a path.


The old graveyard contains a unique stone with a carved depiction of bodysnatching, marking the theft of the body of Mary Stevenson (1767–1822) by local gravedigger, James McNab, who had buried her two days earlier. The body was passed to John Forrest, for dissection. McNab and accomplice, Daniel Mitchell, were caught but later 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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