I visited Stirling Castle over the summer. I was wondering....does anyone know what those squared, raised, landscape areas are for? They are located toward the back side of the castle looking toward Stirling bridge.
Off the top of my head and not looking at any relevant pictures, my guess is that they were the remnants of towers on the other side of a moat or something similar. I'll get a look and see if I can identify what you're referring to.
I was born and raised here in Stirling. I'm a bit puzzled as to your description. There are no raised landscape areas looking towards Stirling Bridge - that view has the town in the foreground, then the bridge with the National Wallace Monument sitting on top of Abbey Craig behind it.
From the back view of the castle, directly below is The King's Knot (known locally as the cup and saucer). This has an appearance a bit like a Roman fort with defensive ditches. (I am aware that description is not particularly helpful as The Romans didn't reachyour part of the world.) The truth, however, is a bit more mundane. It was laid out as a landscaped garden. The whole area is now under grass but the landscaped eartworks remain.
Facing west from the castle there are three or four raised pyramid- ish mounds opposite the fire station. I would like to tell you romantic stories about ancient burial mounds but they were built using JCBs about ten years ago. Nobody I have spoken to, including local councillors has the foggiest idea why. Somebody's idea of art?
I looked through all of my pictures and couldn't find anything on that side of the castle that looks like what you were describing. Check this picture and see if what you are talking about, is in it.
All my other pictures of that side show nothing but the town below and the bridge, with the Wallace Museum in the background.
That looks like the remnants of a symmetrical garden...
According to the Stirling Castle brochure, it was the Kings personal hunting grounds. Wild animals were captured and brought into this area and the king would go in and hunt. This way, he never really had to be very far from the castle.