Page:The castellated and domestic architecture of Scotland from the twelfth to the eighteenth century (1887) - Volume 2.djvu/21

PLANS FOURTH PERIOD shire. There the plan is that of a simple square keep. But on this simple plan are grafted numerous turrets and corbellings, which almost conceal the original idea, while nothing could exceed the picturesqueness of the treatment of the upper stories. (Second.) The use of the L plan for towers was very common in this as in the previous period, and some of the largest castles were now built on that model, which, it will be recollected, is simply the old Norman keep with a wing added at one corner. Glamis Castle, one of the finest and best-known castles of the period, is on this plan. Craigievar is also on the L plan, but, as frequently happens during this period, some liberties are taken with it, part of the side opposite the wing being slightly broken out, so as to contain the kitchen fireplace, and the wing itself being projected to the east in an unusual way, while in the upper stories there are towers corbelled out in all directions. Other instances of the L plan, in which certain peculiarities and modifications are introduced, are Crathes and Balbegno, where the tower in the re-entering angle is occupied with the staircase to the first floor level only, and an additional room is thus gained in the tower on the upper floor. At Fiddes, which is also on the L plan, two round towers are projected in front of the main building, one of which contains the entrance and stair to the first floor, while the other contains the stair to the upper floors. The projection of the round towers also gives protec- tion by means of embrasures for fire-arms. Other instances of departure from the primary simple L model will be noted as we proceed. (Third.) Another typical modification of the keep plan, which was introduced in the sixteenth century in connection with the use of fire- arms, is that of placing turrets or towers, built from the foundation, at two of the diagonally opposite corners of the main keep. Mr. Billings appears to have recognised this form of plan as peculiar to Scotland, and gives a plan of Terpersie Castle, in Aberdeenshire (the only plan in his book) in illustration of it (vol. ii. page 1). Terpersie, built in 1561, is one of the simplest examples of this arrangement, which* is an exceedingly common one in the sixteenth century both in large and small buildings. Claypotts Castle, near Dundee, is a good and characteristic example of its period (1569). The plan shows an oblong central building of four stories, with a round tower at two of the diagonally opposite angles, the ground floors of which are furnished with loopholes for defending the various faces of the tower and the doorway. The round towers of Claypotts (which contain square rooms internally) are corbelled out to the square form externally on the top story in a rather marvellous manner. The number of rooms provided by this plan is considerable. The other two corners of the building are provided with open bartizans at the roof for defence.