Visitor levels Monumental
Largest numbers for ten years
The Wallace Monument this year welcomed more than 135,000 visitors – the highest number for a decade.
It is estimated the bumper year for the attraction contributed £4.5million to the area’s economy.
Looking back on the past 12 months, Stirling District Tourism, the charity responsible for the running of the 148-year-old landmark, say they have continued to carry out work to enhance the structure, including improvements to the Abbey Craig and new displays inside the Hall of Heroes.
Chair of Stirling District Tourism Zillah Jamieson said: “Our goal has always been to keep the monument at the heart of culture, education and heritage in Stirling. The visitor numbers which have been recorded this year, and the monument’s contribution to the local economy reflect how this is being achieved.”
One of the main features of the year was the public vote which selected missionary Mary Slessor and co-founder of the Maggie’s centres Maggie Keswick Jencks as the first females to be commemorated in the Hall of Heroes.
During the year, the main pathway leading to the monument was upgraded, and the ‘Wallace Way’ opened with its collection of 11 specially created woodcarvings.
Abbey Craig was also the setting for an expanded programme of visitor events, which included a celebration of Wallace’s victory at the Battle of Stirling Bridge and ‘Knock on History’s Door’ – a special event in which the doors were opened after hours for an exclusive evening tour.
Stirling District Tourism also welcomed David Mitchell, director of conservation at Historic Environment Scotland, to the charity’s board of directors.
Further improvements are expected in 2018 as the attraction looks ahead to the 150th anniversary of its opening a year later.
Ms Jamieson added: “The performance of the monument this year means that we are able to take forward our investment plans for the attraction.
“We look forward to revealing the next phase of the Scotland’s Heroines project in the new year, as well as finalising our plans for 2019”
The highest number of visitors to the National Wallace Monument was recorded in 1997-98, just two years after the release of the blockbuster film Braveheart, when over 184,000 people came through the doors of the landmark.