It's no secret that Scotland loves football, with fans travelling all around the country and beyond to see their favourite teams play.
With its national team dating back to 1872 — the joint oldest in the world along with England — Scotland has a long and fascinating history with the sport. What you may not have known, however, is that what it believed to be the oldest football in the world is found in a small local museum.
The Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum is located in the central Scotland city of Stirling. Opened in 1874, the Victorian museum and art gallery is home to more than 40,000 objects and artworks that celebrate the people and heritage of the surrounding area.
Among the fascinating artefacts and displays that tell the history of Stirling, perhaps none are more interesting — particularly if you are a football fan — than the small primitive-looking ball that sits atop green velvet in a plexiglass box.
According to the Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum website, the football dates back to the 1540s, when it was lodged in the rafters of the Queen’s Chamber in Stirling Castle during James V's reconstruction of the castle.
Surrounded by a certificate of authenticity and boards that provide more information about the football and its history, the artefact is approximately half the size of a modern football.
The ball, made from a pig's bladder, is the property of the people of Stirling. It was found during "enabling works" in 1981, at which time it was gifted to the museum.
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the ball was likely used by soldiers and staff at the castle. Since Mary, Queen of Scots resided there at this time, it is possible that she even used it herself.
The museum's website states that "football was quite a rough sport in the 16th century and there were several pieces of legislation discouraging it, as it detracted from military service."
If you're a football fan, and even if you aren't, the Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum is well worth a trip this spring. More information can be found on the Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum website.
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