Page:The castellated and domestic architecture of Scotland from the twelfth to the eighteenth century (1887) - Volume 1.djvu/565

MORTON CASTLE - 545 THIRD PERIOD the bringing, in the year 1461, of fourteen great timbers called 'joists' from the woods on the banks of the Allan to Stirling at a cost of 7s.; of Andrew Balfour (elsewhere met with as Clerk of the King's Wardrobe) getting 2, 10s. for cutting and planing them and transporting them to Ravenscraig, six more joists remaining in the wood in charge of said Andrew. " We have a large supply of oats from Fife for horses transporting building stones to Ravenscraig. The already mentioned Lesouris [men- tioned in previous extracts not quoted here] is repaid 10, 4s. for his purchase of 'joists' and boards for the same building. Two cart-wheels, price l, 4s. 6d., are sent from Cupar to Ravenscraig, and a boat is hired to convey timber from Menteith to the works there. The custumars of Perth send two joists and two ' rudis' of timber, costing 18, 2s. 4d., to Ravenscraig, and pay 5s. Qd. for their carriage. In 1461 the buildings were so far advanced that Kinghorn, the Queen's Steward, spends twenty-five days there, along with other servants (familiarii) of the Queen ; and Robert Liddale (encountered in the previous reign in the various characters of Keeper of Tantallon Castle, King's tailor, constable of Dunbar Castle, ranger of Yarrow, and bailie of the Earldom of March) receives 23, 6s. 8d. for his expenditure while residing at Ravenscraig. Whether or not the castle was completed under Mary of Gueldres does not appear, but the payments for it cease at her death." Ravenscraig did not long remain a Royal residence, as the castle and lands were bestowed by James in., in 1470, on William St. Clair, fourth Earl of Orkney, in exchange for his castle of Kirkwall, and " his haill right to the Earldom of Orkney" (Sibbald's Histon/ of Fife). MORTON CASTLE, DUMFRIESSHIRE. This is one of the most interesting buildings in Nithsdale. It is situated about three and a half miles northwards from Thornhill, amidst the bare and solitary uplands near the mountains between Dumfriesshire and Lanarkshire, and at a considerable distance from the main road, which no doubt at all times led up the valley of the Nith into Ayrshire. Possibly the site has been selected by some early chieftain for his stronghold, partly on account of its secluded situation, which would afford a well-concealed retreat in case of pursuit. The castle stands on the crest of a tongue of steep rocky ground washed on three sides by a loch artificially formed at some remote period by a dam thrown across the glen a few hundred yards lower down. The fourth or south side forms the approach, and was no doubt cut across by a deep ditch so as to separate the castle from the mainland. The aspect of the grey but solid old ashlar walls, and the ruined 2 M