Page:The castellated and domestic architecture of Scotland from the twelfth to the eighteenth century (1887) - Volume 2.djvu/372

FOURTH PERIOD 356 BALCOMIE CASTLE ground plan, and the hatched portion shows the first floor of the tower. The castle is now incorporated with a farm-steading and a comparatively modern mansion, lying northwards and eastwards from the tower. The extent of the building, as shown on the plan, is about 130 feet from east to west by 100 feet from north to south, but its ancient dimensions were undoubtedly much greater. The principal part of the building now standing consists of the square tower at the north- west corner (Fig. 804), rising to the height of six stories, and the large square building joined to it at the south-east angle, and having the lofty chimneys shown on the sketch. FIG. 803. Balcomie Castle. Plans. The vaults are almost entirely destroyed, except the one at the south end. The wall passing this vault, and forming the south boundary of the courtyard, as shown on the plan, exists to a height of 10 or 12 feet, and now forms the rest for the lean-to roof of a cart-shed, as shown on Fig. 805. The fine arched entrance gateway seen in this sketch has been a loftier structure than it is at present, but even now it is a very striking and beautiful gateway. Three large panels over the arch contain