Page:The castellated and domestic architecture of Scotland from the twelfth to the eighteenth century (1887) - Volume 2.djvu/426

FOURTH PERIOD - 410 - MENSTRIE CASTLE mouldings, with cable and ball flower enrichments of the earlier style, FIG. 851. Menstrie Castle. Entrance Gateway. are mingled with the architrave frieze and cornice of a pseudo-classic entablature. BALLINBREICH CASTLE, FIFESHIRE, Occupies a strong situation on the right bank of the Firth of Tay. It originally consisted of a small keep (Fig. 852) set upon the south wall of a great courtyard or enclosure of an oblong shape, measuring about 160 feet by 90 feet. The keep projected beyond the courtyard walls towards the south. The remains of a round arched doorway in the portion of the enclosing wall towards the east indicate the original entrance to the courtyard on the landward side. There was probably a similar space between the keep and the west angle of the enceinte. At the opposite or north-west corner of the enclosure,, and at a lower level (owing to the considerable slope of the ground), was the water entrance, about 8 feet above the ground. The double splay of one of the jambs of this doorway, with moulded cap and base, are imbedded in the wall. The west curtain wall projects about 5 feet beyond the line of this doorway, and it evidently projected further, and formed part of a tower of defence on this, the river side of the castle. This wall is about 20 feet high and 6 feet 6 inches thick. About the centre of this curtain was a postern, but it was built up during the subsequent alterations. A turnpike stair gave access to the walls on the east side. In the