Page:The castellated and domestic architecture of Scotland from the twelfth to the eighteenth century (1887) - Volume 1.djvu/91

LOCHINDORB CASTLE 71 FIRST PERIOD The projection of the towers is slight, thus forming a link between such castles as Castle Roy without towers at the angles and the subsequent ones in which the towers have a bold salient. There are garde-robes in the thickness of the walls adjoining two of the angle towers. It seems, therefore, likely that these were occupied as living-rooms by the garrison. The entrance to the castle is from the east, where there is a landing- place. The doorway is 9 feet wide, and has been arched. Extending along the south side of the courtyard there are the ruins of buildings, the westmost one of which is called the chapel, but from the state of these fragments it is impossible to determine their date or destination. A very remarkable part of this castle is an outer enclosing wall extending along the south and part of the east sides. It is broken off at the west end by the force of the waves, and there is no saying how much further it may have gone on that side. The portion of the wall on the south side is about 20 feet high, and contains a well-formed gateway. The jambs are of dressed freestone, with splay on the outside, which has been continued round the depressed arch, now demolished. This gateway has the grooves for a portcullis well cut on each side. The part of the wall shown by dotted lines on the east side is reduced to mere foundations, except the portion at the north end, which is well preserved. The remarkable thing about this outer courtyard is, that, except the above-mentioned gateway, there is no other means of ingress or egress, and no communication with the inner courtyard. Fig. 49 gives a general view of the castle from the south-east. This castle belonged in the thirteenth century to the Comyns, Lords of Bad enoch. In 1303 Edward i. penetrated into Badenoch, for the purpose of reducing them. He then resided at Lochindorb Castle for about a month. From this time it remained for several years in the hands of the English, and it is supposed that they greatly extended it. Possibly the enclosing wall of the outer court with the depressed arched gate may have been added by them as a basse-cour for cattle and provisions, and also to enclose the whole island, so as to prevent an enemy from obtaining a footing on it. After the English had retired from Scotland, Lochindorb became a royal castle. In 1335 it was held by the Duke of Athole for Edward Baliol, and besieged by the Regent, Sir Andrew Murray. In 1372 it became the stronghold of King Robert ii.'s fierce son, "the Wolfe of Badenoch." In 1455 the castle was strengthened by Archibald Douglas, when he became Earl of Moray, and after the fall of the Douglases it was destroyed by order 'of King James n. The warrant for its demolition was granted to the Thane of Cawdor in March 1455-56, and the Exchequer Accounts attest that this was done in 1458. It is said that the "iron yett" of Cawdor Castle was carried off from Lochindorb at that time. The castle now belongs to the Earl of Seafield.