Page:The castellated and domestic architecture of Scotland from the twelfth to the eighteenth century (1887) - Volume 1.djvu/260

 THIRD PERIOD - 240 - COMLONGAN CASTLE newel stair in the north-east corner leads straight to the top, com- municating with all the intermediate floors. Another wheel stair leads from the hall at the south-west corner down to the loft in the vault. There is a well near the centre of the basement floor. The hall (Fig. 197) is a very fine chamber, measuring 29 feet 4 inches by 21 feet 2 inches, and about 14 feet 6 inches in height to the under side of the beartls. It has a finely carved fireplace t the west end, with the unusual feature of an oaken beam for its lintel 10 inches in depth by 12 inches thick, the length between the supports being about 10 feet 9 inches. As the sketch shows, it is far from being horizontal. Adjoining the fireplace on the south wall there is a fine sideboard or ambry (Fig. 198) 3 feet 6 inches above the floor, and about 6 feet high in itself, by 4 feet 9 inches wide over the moulded shafts. The arched top is wrought in two stones, and the two halves do not correspond, which produces a singular but by no means unpleasing effect. The details are of the usual late Gothic kind, frequently found in castles of the latter half of the fifteenth century. The hall is well lighted with three windows, having seats in the recesses. The walls being from 9 to 12 feet in thickness, the recesses are very deep. Besides these windows there are four small windows, two in each gable, placed high in the wall near the ceiling. Two good mural chambers enter from the hall level, and others from the other floors. Indeed, throughout the castle the walls are quite burrowed with small chambers, and in this respect Comlongan bears a considerable resemblance to Elphinstone. One of these mural chambers enters from the hall down ten steps. This chamber is divided into a guard-room and prison, and lighted with small seated windows. From the first chamber a hatchway drops down to a totally dark dungeon 10 feet 9 inches below the level of the floor. The dungeon measures about 1 8 feet by 6 feet, and seems to have no communication with the open air. The inner of these two mural chambers has a garde-robe opening off it. A few steps up the main stair from the hall there is another large mural chamber with garde-robe. A wall chamber entering off the main stair at the hall level seems to have been the kitchen. It is about 14 feet long by 6 feet 3 inches wide, and is lighted with one small window. It occupies a similar position, and is of about the same size as the kitchen at Elphinstone. Originally this chamber seems to have opened directly into the hall by an open arch (shown on Plan) 10 feet 6 inches wide by 7 feet 6 inches high. The partition between the arch and the hall (hatched on Plan) has not the appearance of being original, and may have superseded an earlier screen. In this partition there is a service window. This kitchen is really nothing more than a large fireplace. The flue has been long closed up, but its continuation may be seen at the back of the fireplace in the room above. The hall is paved with the