Page:The castellated and domestic architecture of Scotland from the twelfth to the eighteenth century (1887) - Volume 2.djvu/297

HUNTLY CASTLE 281 FOURTH PERIOD is the private room and a multangular bedroom in the round tower. There is a newel staircase from the private room to the floor below,, and it is also continued up to the upper floors and parapet. The other small staircase entering from the tower room is between it and the room below only. The main north-east staircase is continued upwards to the roof, and gives access to the withdrawing-room on the second floor, immediately over the hall. There are bedrooms on this floor over the rooms below. No doubt can exist about the date of this floor, bearing as it does the very prominent inscription of "George Gordovn First Marqvis of Hv"[ntly], and " Henriette Stevart Marqvisse of Hv"[ntly] (Fig. 737). The fireplaces in the withdrawing-room and room adjoining still remain. This is probably in con- sequence of the floor, which was of timber, having given way, so that the mantels could not be easily reached and destroyed or removed. Those on the hall floor are said to have been equally fine, but they have been carried off. The style of the upper part of the building, with its fine bow windows (a rare feature in Scotland) and ornamental man- telpieces, is very different from the plain work of the lower floors. From the thickness of the walls and general character of the work, it seems probable, as above suggested, that the three lower floors and the south- west tower are portions of the older castle, and that they were heightened and repaired by the first Marquis in 1602. The picturesque oriel in the south- west tower and the ornate para- pet are insertions of this date. The south front presents in- stances of a very novel character, in two mock windows, one in the tall chimney and the other below it. A similar blank window occurs at Balbegno. The new north-east tower was added at the same time, as is apparent from the nature of the mouldings and other details. It is elaborately ornamented with coats of arms, etc., FIG. 738. Huntly Castle. Drawing-room Mantelpiece.