Unredeemed Pledges

This blip may be of more interest for the story than the photograph. We inherited a very old book about Stirling. It's called Old Places, Old Faces and Old Stories of Stirling. It was written by William Drysdale and published in 1899. The photograph is an illustration in the book of the old mint. Here is the text that goes with it:

"In the march of improvement which has taken place in the City of the Rock within the past quarter of a century many notable landmarks have been swept away. A building which had an interest considerably more than local was that known as "The Mint". A high, somewhat unsightly tenement, with a crow-stepped gable to the street, it stood at the upper end of what was known in bygone days as Baxter's Wynd, now Baker Street. It's connection, however, with the Scottish coinage is purely traditional. In early days, it would appear that money wasmade within the Castle, but during the fourteenth century this ceased, and it became customary to rent a house in the burgh and convert it into a mint. In 1442 the appointment of "Moneyer to His Majesty" was conferred on one Alexander Tod, who issued coins, both of gold and silver, in a house occupied by a person of the name of Robert Hakate, and this house may or may not have been the building in Baker Street. known as "The Old Mint".

A century later the moneyer's house stood, according to local tradition, in Baker Street. In 1542 James V began the issue of what were known as "babies" and "half-babies." These were coined from an alloy of silver and copper, and the "babies" were of a value of three halfpence. The copper was got at Airthrey, and the mine from which it was extracted is now the source of mineral wells at Bridge of Allan. These "babies" were issued during the reign of Mary, Queen of Scots, and from them is derived the Scottish appellation of halfpenny, viz, "bawbee."

After the Union of the Crowns Stirling ceased to be a place of money manufacture. The house locally known as "The Mint" stood for many years to witness to the glory that had departed; but in the seventies it was thrown down in order to improve the thoroughfare. A plot of grass enclosed with an iron railing now marks the spot. One of our illustrations shows the old building and "Broad Stairs.""


The sign on the front of the building 'Unredeemed Pledges' seems apt for the story. It's a short hop step and jump from 'Stirling' to the name of our currency 'Sterling'!

With the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn now less than 2 years away, and an independence vote to follow it, I'm not placing any bets on the notion that some present-day politician might grab the idea that the Moneyer to a Scottish Government might yet be found in Stirling!?!

Enough fantasy for a Monday evening. It's time for a wee dram. I hope you enjoyed the story. Might borrow some more from the book for future blips.