Page:The castellated and domestic architecture of Scotland from the twelfth to the eighteenth century (1887) - Volume 1.djvu/147

CAERLAVEROCK CASTLE 127 FIRST PERIOD SLUO- CAERLAVEROCK CASTLE, DUMFRIESSHIRE. Caerlaverock Castle is situated on the shore of the Solway at the mouth of the river Nith, aud about 7 miles distant from Dumfries. The castle is in ruins, but is well preserved and taken care of by its noble owner, Lord Herries. The building, which is triangular on plan (Fig. 101), measures about 171 feet along its southern side or base, and 1 52 feet along its eastern and western sides respectively, and is surrounded by a deep moat full of water measur- ing about 70 feet wide. Surround- ing this, and separating the castle from a marsh (which probably ex- tended originally to the Solway), on all sides, except the north, there is a great mound of earth about 70 feet in width, with a sluice into the marsh near the south-west corner. All along the northern side is firm ground, a large portion of which has been enclosed to form a courtyard beyond the moat. Of the enclosing wall only the arched gateway remains, about 300 yards north from the moat. The entrance gateway of the castle towards the north was pro- tected by the moat, which was crossed by a drawbridge, and beyond this with a ditch which united the marsh on the east and west sides, and was doubtless crossed by another bridge. The castle in its present form (Fig. 102) is the work of six distinct periods. To the first period belong the outside triangular walls of enceinte. The west wall as it now stands is almost all the work of this period, the east wall likewise, in large portions, and also what remains of the south wall. The castle thus seems originally to have consisted of high walls enclosing a courtyard, with temporary or slight build- ings inside, similar to the early castles above described, such as Kinclaven, which is square on plan, Rothesay, which is round on plan, and Dunstaffhage, which is of irregular plan, while Caerlaverock is triangular on plan. How the points of the three angles terminated we do not know, but probably they were provided with round towers similar to those now existing. In the roll of Caerlaverock, recounting the siege of the castle by Edward i. in 1300, written by Walter of Exeter, who accompanied Edward's army, the castle is described as being in figure like a shield of three sides, with a tower on each angle, one of these a jumellated or FIG. 101. Caerlaverock Castle. Plan of Site.