Page:The castellated and domestic architecture of Scotland from the twelfth to the eighteenth century (1887) - Volume 1.djvu/12

PREFACE sufficiently understood and appreciated. We are not without hope that this work may serve to direct the attention of proprietors and others to the value of our ancient domestic remains, and may thus help to preserve some of them from the decay and demolition which at present threaten speedily to overtake the greater number. Such a result would be most gratifying, not only to us, but to every one interested in our national history.

We would take this opportunity of gratefully thanking all those who have interested themselves in the present work, some of whom have kindly contributed drawings for our assistance.

To Mr. John Bryce, Architect, Edinburgh, our thanks are due for the free and ready access he has given us to the plans of ancient buildings made by his uncle, the late David Bryce, R.S.A., when, in the course of his professional practice, he was called on to consider how to alter or add to them. Of these drawings we have availed ourselves of some of those of Drum Castle and Earl Patrick's Palace, Kirkwall, to which we have referred more fully in the text. To Dr. Skene, Historiographer for Scotland, we are specially obliged for placing at our disposal the voluminous MS. work by his father, the late Mr. Skene of Rubislaw, on the Domestic Architecture of Scotland. This work is peculiarly valuable from its containing numerous plans and views of castles which no longer exist. From it we have obtained the plans of Castle Fraser, which were not otherwise available, and views of the extremely picturesque Castle