Page:The castellated and domestic architecture of Scotland from the twelfth to the eighteenth century (1887) - Volume 1.djvu/270

 THIRD PERIOD 250 - NEWARK CASTLE usual kind of accommodation, which in this case must have been extensive. The top story, of course, comprised the parapet for defence (Fig. 206). The corbel table is rudely executed, probably owing to the scarcity of freestone in the district, while the angle turrets, instead of being round and projecting on well-carved corbel courses, and being finished with conical-pointed roofs, are square, and carried up as gabled cape houses. It seems most likely that here, as at Comlongan Castle, the top story had originally a simple parapet carried all round the building, and that the gabled angle turrets were added at a later period. A very distinct instance of this process may be seen at Benholm Tower, Forfarshire. The walls of the barmkin still remain to a considerable extent. They are of later date than the keep, and are pierced with shot-holes (Figs. 204 and 206). The position of the original entrance gateway can also be traced. One of the drives through the fine grounds of Bowhill, one of the seats of the Duke of Buccleuch, passes through the barmkin by means of two apertures in the walls. The freestone dressings of the windows have been at some period rudely torn out, but it is delightful to find that what still remains of this historic pile is carefully guarded and preserved from further ruin. AFFLECK OR AUCHENLECK CASTLE, FORFARSHIRE. This highly interesting castle is situated in the parish of Monikie, in Forfarshire. The building is in perfect preservation, but it is uninhabited. It is of the common oblong keep form on plan (Fig. 207), with a slight projection at the south-east corner for the staircase, and measures over the walls 37 feet 6 inches by 26 feet 7 inches. This projection shows one of the small modifications of the simple keep plan which were now being introduced. The height to the top of the parapet is 51 feet 6 inches, and 8 feet more to the ridge of the roof. It contains five floors (see Section), the vault under the floor of the hall, which is about 20 feet high, comprising two of them. The arched entrance doorway (Fig. 208) is in the re-entering angle, with its iron yett still hanging behind the wooden door. The ground floor, which is down a few steps from the entrance, is divided into two apartments. The upper floors, each in a single apart- ment, measure 26 feet 8 inches by 16 feet 2 inches. The first, which is the only vaulted one, has no fireplace, but the window recesses are pro- vided with stone seats. The staircase, which commences at the entrance passage, ends on the second floor at the hall, which is 14 feet 5 inches high, and has three windows, a large fireplace at the north end, a garde- robe near the door, and wall closets. In the thickness of the east wall a stair of eleven steps, 2 feet 9 inches wide, leads up to an entresol over the principal staircase (see Plan of Entresol) measuring 7 feet 8 inches