Page:The castellated and domestic architecture of Scotland from the twelfth to the eighteenth century (1887) - Volume 1.djvu/350

 THIRD PERIOD 330 DUN PAS CASTLE examples, when the putt-stones were sometimes elegantly carved as sconces to receive lamps, etc. Adjoining the hall is a private room, which was previously of the same size as the room above, but has been considerably reduced in size by the alteration of the stair just described. This room and the great hall formerly entered directly from the circular stair, and not as at present. In the various floors there are garde-robes in the west wall. In order to reach the stair leading to the upper floors the great hall has to be crossed. This staircase is circular, placed in the angle, and continues up to the roof, where it lands in a large round turret with a groined ceiling inside. Above this vault, and reached by a ladder from the main roof, is the post for a beacon light and watch tower surrounded by a stone parapet (section Fig. 281). The beacon light could be seen at Blackness Castle, Rosyth Castle, Fordel Castle (where an iron beacon still remains), Dunfermline, Donnybristle, and various other castles along the Forth. PIG. 282. Dumlas Castle. Fireplace in Hall. The addition to the castle consisted of a wing at the north-west corner. Its peculiar and irregular shape seems to have been a necessity of the rocky site ; its sharp corners, as will be observed (Figs. 283, 284), are splayed off towards the top. The various floors are reached from the staircase last described. How the ground floor was reached cannot at present be determined, owing to building and other alterations connected with^the distillery ; the circular well of the staircase seems to be con-