Cowane's Hospital was endowed in 1633 by John Cowane, a wealthy Stirling merchant who left most of his fortune to found an almshouse for "decayed brothers of the Guild" — broken-down members of the merchant guildry. The building, completed in 1649, sits directly below the Church of the Holy Rude and is a fine example of Scots vernacular Renaissance architecture, with crow-stepped gables and a steep tile roof.
Above the central entrance is a small painted statue of Cowane himself, looking out over the bowling green in front of the hospital. Local legend has it that on Hogmanay the statue climbs down and dances on the lawn — a story the modern trustees lean into with a winter event. The interior has been restored as a community space and the gardens are open to the public during the day.
The bowling green outside dates from 1712 and is the oldest still in continuous use in Scotland. It is worth a few minutes' look on the climb up to the castle.