Page:The castellated and domestic architecture of Scotland from the twelfth to the eighteenth century (1887) - Volume 1.djvu/386

THIRD PERIOD three stars above pierced in the centre as shot-holes. Over the centre of each compartment there is a small niche with a carved cushion, on which a bust or other ornament might rest. These cushions, although all very similar in design, have considerable variety of details. Over the niches is a small curved pediment containing a scroll. All the above-mentioned recesses have the sill hollowed out as if for the reception of soil for a flower or plant. It is supposed that the chequered design and the three stars represent those figures in the Lindsay arms, which are gules, a fesse chequé argent and azure, with three stars in chief of the second.

The bas-reliefs are in the somewhat debased style of sculpture prevalent at the period, but are very varied in design. Those on the east wall represent the Celestial Deities, those on the south wall the Sciences, and those on the west wall the Theological and Cardinal Virtues.

At the south-east angle of the garden stands the very picturesque lodge and garden-house (Figs. 312 and 316), with monogram of David Lindsay entwined with foliage carved in the tympanums over the windows. The lodge is a single room entering from the exterior. The garden-house enters from the garden, and has a ribbed and groined vault, and stone seat all round. From this room a turret stair conducts to two rooms in the upper floor, which may have been used as fruit rooms. At the south-west angle of the garden are situated the well, and the remains of what was probably a bath-house. The well is carefully built in the thickness of the garden wall, and access is provided to it both from the garden and a small room attached to the bath-house, in which there is a stone sink for emptying out water.

Notwithstanding the ruinous state of the quadrangle, its great extent, and the elegant and commodious arrangements of the pleasure garden of Edzell, give an impressive idea of the advancement and refinement of the last years of the sixteenth century.

The castle now belongs to the Earl of Dalhousie, and the ruins are well taken care of.

ROSSLYN CASTLE,.

On a rocky promontory projecting into the haughs lying along the banks of the North Esk stands the Castle of Rosslyn. The river winds round the castle on three sides. On the north-west a calm and rather sluggish stream, it rounds the point of the promontory, and dashing over a lynn it enters a wild rocky gorge, and rushes past the south-east side of the castle at a distance of forty or fifty yards. The natural approach to the castle (Fig. 317) was by a narrow ridge of rock, which has been cut through at the neck of the promontory. A high access bridge is thrown across the chasm (Fig. 318), but it was undoubtedly originally spanned by a drawbridge. Through this cutting a road