Page:The castellated and domestic architecture of Scotland from the twelfth to the eighteenth century (1887) - Volume 1.djvu/461

 SPYNIE CASTLE 441 THIRD PERIOD south-east corner for hoisting up supplies to one of the small chambers adjoining the hall. This cellar has also been u sed for purposes of defence, being provided with two port-holes for guns, one to the south and the other to the west. The form of these port-holes is remarkable. They are of the shape first adopted on the intro- duction of artillery, having an enormous splay to the exterior. The external aperture of these em- brasures (Fig. 386) is fully 6 feet wide and 2 feet 6 inches high. The other compartment of the ground floor is circular, 17 feet 6 inches in diameter, and is some steps down from the entrance door. It has only one very small and narrow opening for air, carried dia- gonally through the wall, probably for the purpose of making communication between the exterior and interior as difficult as possible, as well as to throw the faint gleam of light which enters by it on the entrance door. From the general features of its construction this cellar would seem to have been the prison. The principal entrance to the keep is on the first floor (Fig. 385), close to the wall of enceinte, with which it was no doubt connected by a draw- bridge. Adjoining it on the north is a newel stair in the thickness of the wall, leading to the upper floors and the roof. The steps are 4 feet 6 inches long. This stair also gives access to an entresol in the north wall, containing a guard- room, from which there is a door to the battlements of the west wall of enceinte (see Plan of Entresol, Fig. 385). The hall, which is 42 feet by 22 feet 6 inches, occupies the whole of the first floor, except the wall chambers in the east wall already men- tioned. The chamber at the south end, with the hatch to the cellar, was probably the private room. The other small apartments on the various floors on this side were no doubt bedrooms. Their width (6 feet 6 inches) is just sufficient for a bed. There are remains of two flues, which were probably those of garde-robes, connected with these apartments. FIG. 385. Spynie Castle. Section and Plan of First Floor of Keep.