Great Tapestry of Scotland set for Stirling Castle show

The artwork detailing Scotland's history is officially the world's largest embroidered tapestry

The Great Tapestry of Scotland is to go on show at Stirling Castle.

Officially the world's largest embroidered tapestry, the 469ft (143m) artwork uses 300 miles (483km) of yarn to depict 42 million years of Scottish history across 160 panels.

More than 1,000 volunteers from across Scotland spent 50,000 hours stitching the piece together before it was unveiled last year.

The tapestry will go on show in the castle's Great Hall from 31 January.

It is currently on a tour around Scotland, but Stirling is one of the few venues where it can be viewed in its entirety due to its sheer size.

The castle itself features in one panel, about the Battle of Bannockburn, while others depict Scotland emerging from the ice age in 8,500BC, the Act of Union in 1707, the first rugby match between Scotland and England in 1873, and Andy Murray's win at Wimbledon.

The tapestry's 160 panels cover 42 million years of Scottish history

The project was inspired by a visit to the Prestonpans Tapestry by author Alexander McCall Smith in 2011.

Mr McCall Smith approached the artist, Andrew Crummy, to design a tapestry telling the whole history of Scotland.

Historian Alistair Moffat joined the project as co-chairman of the Great Tapestry of Scotland Trust.

He said Stirling Castle was "the hinge of Scotland's history".

He said: "As armies and battles swirled around the foot of the sentinel rock, our history was forged and it is only fitting that the Great Tapestry of Scotland should come to light up our national story in the Great Hall.

"For centuries tapestries hung on its walls but none have told the story of our nation - until now."

The Great Tapestry exhibition will run from 31 January until 8 March, and is included in the price of admission to the castle.