Page:The castellated and domestic architecture of Scotland from the twelfth to the eighteenth century (1887) - Volume 1.djvu/263

 CARDONESS CASTLE 243 THIRD PERIOD It should however be noted that there is 110 upper hall in this castle, such as there usually is in such buildings. Possibly the above aperture was at first intended for the fireplace of an upper hall, but the builder having changed his mind during the construction of the building, had the hall divided into two rooms, each with a separate fireplace, and caused the large fireplace to be converted into two cupboards, as we now see them. The fireplace at the east end of the second floor, already referred to, has a bead and hollow moulding round the jambs and lintel, .and (what is unusual) the same moulding is continued along the edge of the hearth as well, so that it has the appearance of a moulded picture frame. The beams and joisting of the upper floors still partly remain, and are indicated on the plan. The battlements of Comlongan are most interesting. The staircase is continued up as a watch turret (on the right, Fig. 199), reached by a stone stair following the slope of the roof behind the turret, and con- tinued up a few steps higher (see Plan of Watch-towers). Another watch-tower, with chimney flues in the parapets, is attached to the cape house in the centre of the view (Fig. 199), and rises above it. At each of the corners of the battlements at the east end (Fig. 199) there is a roofed cape house, with an open battlemented parapet between, while the whole length of the parapet at the west end is roofed in, form- ing a long gallery with a fireplace, and lighted with the embrasures con- verted into windows (Fig. 196). One cannot be certain whether this gallery is original or not, there being features which tell both for and against that supposition ; but at all events it is not of recent construction. The castle of Comlongan was built by the Hurrays of Cockpool, whose original residence was the castle of Cockpool, the ruins of which are still traceable within a short distance of Comlongan. Their original charter was granted by Thomas Randolph, Earl of Moray, to his nephew, William de Moravia, in the fourteenth century. The castle still belongs to the same family, being now the property of the Earl of Mansfield. CARDONESS CASTLE, KIRKCUDBRIGHTSHIRE. Cardoness Castle is situated on the Fleet, a small stream which empties into Wigtown Bay about one mile farther down. The castle (Fig. 200) occupies the summit of a thickly wooded ridge rising up from the right bank of the Fleet. The ground slopes rapidly all round, there being only a narrow level strip adjoining the walls. Although it is a building of small size, it has a most imposing appearance as seen by the traveller approach- ing from the bay, and a closer inspection shows it to be a very fine keep, only wanting a roof to render it practically entire. It would be well worthy of the small expense of roofing, as it is a very interesting building of its class, of excellent masonry and workmanship, and ingeniously planned