Page:The castellated and domestic architecture of Scotland from the twelfth to the eighteenth century (1887) - Volume 1.djvu/477

 EDINBURGH CASTLE 457 THIRD PERIOD and the gabled crow-steps are almost the only original features left in the " building from which an idea of the date of its different parts may be formed. Judging from these and the parapet on both sides, the date of the roof and upper part of the building can scarcely be earlier than the reign of* James v. Some good specimens of similar early Renaissance work at Stirling belong to that date, and are probably the work of French artists brought over by King James. The hall, as above pointed out, was begun by James i., and seems to have been roofed about 1438. But this THay have been a plain roof, and at a later date a finer roof may have been desired, when that still existing was probably erected, and the corbels to receive the ends of the principal rafters were inserted. From the sections (Fig. 396) it will be seen that the design is not a V good specimen of carpentry, and it may be observed that the thrust of ^/the roof has forced the south wall considerably off the perpendicular. Fig. 397 shows the present appearance of the roof as plastered over. But there can be no doubt that when seen in its entirety this must have been a magnificent hall, of a similar type to those of the other Royal palaces at Linlithgow and Stirling ; and it is satisfactory to know that the persevering endeavours of Major Gore Booth and others to have it so far as possible restored and fitted up as an armoury and military museum, are likely to be crowned with success. EDINBURGH CASTLE ROOF OF PARLIAMENT HALL Fio. 397. Edinburgh Castle. Present appearance of the Roof as Tlasterecl over. According to the usual arrangement of such palaces, the hall com- municates with the Prince's private apartments at one end in this case the east end ; but these have also been so much altered that it is impos- sible to distinguish the original arrangements. The vaults beneath this range are said to have been used as State prisons, one being called Argyll's Dungeon. At all events there is no doubt that they were employed for the purpose of confining the French .