The King’s Park, Stirling, is the oldest and best preserved Royal Park in Scotland and surrounds Stirling Castle, the ancient capital of Scotland. In December 2017, path works within the castle identified a previously unrecorded late prehistoric defended fort, built on the highest point in the park and right next to a golf course!

Stirling sits at the lowest crossing point of the River Forth and was the only way for armies to invade or resist invasion and of course played a key role in both the Battle of Stirling Bridge and the Battle of Bannockburn. The same factors exploited by Bruce and Wallace also influenced the Roman occupation of Scotland and the King’s Park fort most likely dates to this period when a series of enclosures where built at key locations to exploit Roman trade with the northern Scotland. The 2025 season also found a previously unknown Roman Iron Age burial mound which will also be dug in 2026.

The King’ Park Fort is the latest season in an ongoing Season of research into Forth Valley’s Late Prehistoric settlement pattern and how the native people’s interacted with the Roman conquest.

The training is relaxed and easy going and you can learn as much or as little as you want to. You will have the opportunity to excavate archaeological remains that have never been examined before.

• Other activities:  We hope to organise trips to see contemporary sites in the evening .
• What to wear:   Scottish weather can change at any time, sometimes with four seasons in one day. It is recommended that you come prepared with a range of clothing including clothes for sunny weather, cold weather and hard rain;  light-weight clothing, a waterproof coat and stout boots, sun block and a hat are suggested.