Page:The castellated and domestic architecture of Scotland from the twelfth to the eighteenth century (1887) - Volume 1.djvu/297

 BURLEIGH CASTLE 277 THIRD PERIOD The existing portion of the west wall of the courtyard, and the round gate tower at what was the south-west angle of the courtyard (Figs. 225, 228), are very interesting. From the inscription on the skew-put (Fig. 227), the date of the tower is 1582. The same stone carries a shield with the arms of Balfour of Balgarvie, with the letters IB and MB, probably for Sir James Balfour of Mountquhanie, who married Margaret Balfour, heiress of Burleigh. On the other skew-put (Fig. 227) is the red rose which is the distinguishing mark of this family amongst the Balfours. FIG. 228. Burleigh Castle. Gatehouse from the North-West. The basement contains a vaulted cellar, from which the curious horizontal embrasures for guns could be utilised. The door, although now outside the courtyard wall, was originally inside it. The turret, so picturesquely inserted in the angle, contains the staircase to the upper floors. The first floor contains a room brought nearly to the square internally, while the upper floor is corbelled out in the rather extrava-