Page:The castellated and domestic architecture of Scotland from the twelfth to the eighteenth century (1887) - Volume 1.djvu/189

 DUNDONALD CASTLE 169 SECOND PERIOD while in other places the regular wall of the upper floors projects over that of the lower floor. The whole of these features are somewhat puzzling, and there is a difficulty in understanding the design or reason for them. At first sight the external rounds naturally suggest ovens, which are often found projected beyond the walls. But this does not explain all the circumstances. On further consideration of all the features, we are inclined to think that the west wall is a survival of part of an ancient wall of enceinte. The rounds at each end are probably the bases of towers, which have been utilised in the construction of the CARVED SHIELDS ON A WEST WALL Fro. 186. Dundonald Castle. View of West Front. existing castle, much in the same way as that at Dirleton, above referred to (p. 116). This supposition explains the irregularity of the inside'of the wall of the ground floor and the mode in which the upper wall is set upon it. It also accounts for the corbelling which is inserted at the exterior of the north-west angle to bring it out to the full thickness of the upper wall and the sloping cope on the top of the projecting rounds. At the north-east corner, and in the thickness of the walls, a stair leads