Page:The castellated and domestic architecture of Scotland from the twelfth to the eighteenth century (1887) - Volume 1.djvu/84

FIRST PERIOD 64 - INTRODUCTORY Turnberry, in the west ; Edinburgh, Stirling, Linlithgow, Dunbar, Yester, Roxburgh, Jedburgh, Lamberton, Morton, Dalswinton, Lochmaben, Con- gleton, in the centre and south, besides many others. Most of these have either disappeared or have been entirely re- modelled, but a sufficient number remain to enable us to follow their design, which we shall find resembles in idea, though inferior in degree to, that of the contemporary buildings in France and England. The general idea of these thirteenth-century Scotch castles is that of a large fortified enclosure. The plan is usually quadrilateral, but more or less irregular, so as to suit the site. There are however some striking exceptions to this rule, as for instance the Castle of Rothesay, the plan of which is oval, and Caerlaverock Castle, which is triangular. The curtain walls are about 7 to 9 feet in thickness by 20 to 30 feet high. The angles are frequently provided with round or square towers, and no doubt these and the curtains had parapets with embrasures for defence, and rampart walks all round the walls. But these have now in almost every instance disappeared. The entrance gateway was always wide, and seems to have been generally provided with a portcullis. There is sometimes also a postern door. It is impossible to say what the arrangement of the buildings within the enclosing walls may have been, as they have almost entirely perished. The angle towers seem to have been used as the dwellings of the garrison, as they are frequently provided with garde-robes in the thickness of the wall, but there were probably other buildings within the enclosure with roofs leaning against the curtains. At Rothesay a large chapel still survives, while at Lochindorb a ruinous building is also called the chapel, and it is very probable that other castles contained a similar edifice. The sites selected for this class of castle vary greatly. They are, however, generally built on rather low-lying ground, and trust more to water than to lofty sites for their security. Thus we find Lochmaben and Lochindorb situated, the latter on a natural island, and the former 011 a peninsula cut off by ditches, so as to convert it into an island. Kinclaven and Inverlochy are both placed near rivers, and were no doubt defended with moats filled with water. Rothesay is on low ground surrounded by a wide and deep fosse filled with water. Castle Roy and Dunstaifnage, again, are on rocky sites, but raised only a few feet above the general level of the ground. Tarbert is situated on the top of a low rocky hill overlooking the sea. The large area contained within the walls was no doubt intended to receive and harbour the population of a district, with their flocks and possessions, in time of danger. They are, for the most part, rude imitations of the thirteenth-century castles of France or the Edwardian castles of England ; but some of the finer examples, such as Bothwell, Kildrummie, and Dirleton, present a wonderfully close resemblance both in design and