Page:The castellated and domestic architecture of Scotland from the twelfth to the eighteenth century (1887) - Volume 1.djvu/106

FIRST PERIOD 86 DUNSTAFFNAGE CASTLE from the ground outside to the top of the battlements, or 25 feet high from the parapet walk to the courtyard inside. At the east and west ends of the north front are round towers ; over these this front measures about 137 feet. At the meeting of the south and west fronts, the wall is rounded, and slightly projected beyond the west face only, along which the castle measures about 112 feet. At the south-east corner, where the entrance is, there is a two-faced projection one face parallel with the east front, and the other set on diagonally, and connected with the south front by a solid round in the re-entering angle. Along the south front the walls are about 68 feet long, and along the east front about 100 feet. The entrance gateway, placed about 12 or 15 feet above the ground, was undoubtedly reached by a drawbridge ; remains of what was probably its pier exist in the garden opposite. The present staircase, leading to the entrance doorway, is of comparatively modern date. The whole of this part of the castle has undergone alterations on the outside at various times. The principal entrance was by a pointed arched doorway Fio. 61. Dunstaffnage Castle from the South-East. (Fig. 6l), about 10 feet wide. This has been contracted to a narrow round arched doorway, placed out of the centre of the pointed arch, and continued as an arch through the thickness of the wall. At a later date the doorway has been still further contracted and lintelled over. Entering off the ingoing is a low chamber or guard-room, about 5 or 6 feet square. Although this rounded doorway is clearly an insertion, it has all the appearance of being of an early date. In the end wall facing the court-