Visitors to the Top of the Town can enjoy a relaxing meal or coffee break at the new Legends café based at historic Cowane’s Hospital.
Legends at Cowane’s serves breakfast, light lunches, teas, coffees, soft drinks and delicious cakes in the beautiful 17th century building which patrons can enjoy in the Guild Hall or outside on the garden terrace.
The café is run by Stirling District Tourism – a local charity committed to managing and promoting cultural and historic events, services and attractions in the Stirling area – in partnership with the Cowane’s Trust.
The SDT team also manage the visitor experience within the 15th century Church of the Holy Rude and the Legends Café at the Wallace Monument.
Lorne Scott, Master & Factor and Chief Operating Officer of the Cowane’s Trust, says: “The Trust is delighted to welcome the Legends brand to Cowane’s in which our visitors can sample a tasty treat whilst enjoying the glorious surroundings here at Cowane’s at the top of the Old Town.”
Tracey Macintosh, General Manager of Stirling District Tourism, was delighted to have the opportunity to introduce Legends to Cowane’s Hospital and offer visitors to the Top of the Town an enhanced experience.
She says: “There is so much for visitors to see and do at the Top of the Town and our aim is to encourage people to stay a little longer in the area.
“After visiting Stirling Castle, they can take a short walk to Cowane’s Hospital and enjoy a trip to the café before exploring other nearby heritage attractions such as the Church of the Holy Rude and the Old Town Cemetery.
“We want to create a real destination within a destination at the Top of the Town where there are many historic places which some visitors don’t really know about and which are just a few minutes’ walk from the Castle.
“The Old Town Cemetery, for example, offers an amazing treasure trove of stories and visitors can have a tour around to see all the historic stones and monuments.”
A guide to the old cemetery entitled `Stories In Stone’ features 12 must-see sites of interest including Stirling benefactor John Cowane’s gravestone, The Ladies’ Rock – where ladies from the Castle’s Royal Court could safely observe sporting spectacles going on below – and a memorial to William Young Moyes, sixth engineer on the Titanic who stayed at his post and died onboard the ship.
Tracey says: “The café really allows us to strengthen and improve the whole visitor experience and it’s a great partnership with Cowane’s which complements our Legends café at the Monument.
“It also offers a beautiful spot to relax and enjoy a meal or drink and we have indoor and outdoor seating as well as providing food to take away.”
Legends at Cowane’s originally opened for coffee and cake in March this year and then expanded to serving more substantial fare in May.
The menu features soups, sandwiches, toasties, breakfast rolls, lunch boxes for children, a range of hot and cold drinks plus cakes, pastries and sweet treats.
Visitors can sit in or take food away and there are tables both inside and outside the historic venue which is free to visit.
Dating from 1636, Cowane’s Hospital takes its name from benefactor John Cowane who came from a family of wealthy merchants and left much of his fortune to build an Almshouse to support the elderly.
The Trust recently undertook a major conservation project to conserve the historic fabric of the Cowane’s Hospital building and the history and legacy of John Cowane is documented in a permanent exhibition displayed within the building’s Guild Hall.
More details about Cowane’s Hospital Trust can be found on the website – www.cowanes.org.uk – while the Legends café menu is available here – www.cowanes.org.uk/legends-at-cowanes/
The café operates in line with the opening and closing times of the hospital building and is currently open from 10am until 4pm Monday to Sunday.
For more information about the Old Town Cemetery, visit www.oldtowncemetery.co.uk and for details on the Church of the Holy Rude go to www.churchoftheholyrude.co.uk
Visitors to the Church of the Holy Rude receive a 10% discount on their Legends at Cowane’s order.
Meanwhile, the Cowane’s Hospital Trust is on Facebook – www.facebook.com/CowanesHospital, Twitter – www.x.com/CowanesHospital/ and Instagram – www.instagram.com/CowanesHospital/
