Macgregor's drawing demonstrates his great facility and boldness as a draughtsman. Here, he used heavy, concentrated strokes of charcoal to depict Stirling Castle and the volcanic rock on which it rests. This drawing was made near the Wallace Monument and shows the spectacular scenery around the River Forth. The Castle guards the lowest crossing point of the river, and due to its strategic position as 'the gateway to the Highlands', it has been fought over and changed hands more than any other Scottish castle. The area around Stirling Castle was the scene of some of Scotland's most memorable battles in the Wars of Independence, including the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, where Robert the Bruce defeated Edward II of England, re-gaining independence for Scotland.