40th Anniversary
History
History of the Estate
Our campus is not only regarded as one of the most beautiful in the world - it also has a fascinating history. The table below provides the timeline of the Airthrey Estate and a selection of the most significant events in its history.
Right: Airthrey Castle
From The University of Stirling, Beginnings and Today by RG Bomont
| Date | History |
|---|---|
| 1650 BC | Standing Stones |
| 1146 | First recorded reference to Airthrey |
| 1370 | Estate granted to the Knight Keeper of Stirling Castle |
| 1472 | Passed to the Graham family |
| 1759 | Haldane family purchased estate |
| 1798 | Owned by Abercrombie family |
| 1889 | Graham family purchased estate |
| 1939 - 1969 | Airthrey Castle used as a maternity hospital |
| 1946 | Stirling County Council buys the Airthrey estate |
| 17 July 1964 | Decision to site University of Stirling |
| 5 August 1965 | Airthrey Estate gifted to the University |
| 1965 | Appointment of Dr Tom Cottrell as Principal |
| 27 December 1967 | Stirling received its Charter and Statutes |
See a more detailed timeline of the history of Airthrey Estate.
‘There is an excellent site eminently suitable for a new university at Airthrey Estate, which is approximately one mile from the centre of Stirling and occupies the unbuilt land between Stirling and Bridge of Allan.
The whole estate, which includes Airthrey Castle, extends to approximately 300 acres and is available for university purposes.’
The Ordnance Survey Gazeteer of 1883 confirmed the park to be of ‘remarkable beauty, commanding superb views of the Ochils and the plain beneath them.’
The University of Stirling, Beginnings and Today by RG Bomont.