Page:The castellated and domestic architecture of Scotland from the twelfth to the eighteenth century (1887) - Volume 1.djvu/490

 THIRD PERIOD 470 STIRLING CASTLE . the wall-plate of the roof of the corridor still remain, but it is difficult to determine what was the nature of the corridor. It was however very likely an arcade of masonry, supporting a wooden roof. Similar corridors exist, or have existed, at Castle Campbell and St. Andrews Castle. This structure necessarily curtailed the height of the windows on this side, but those on the east side were of greater height. The external wall spaces between the windows were relieved with canopied niches contain- ing statues. The mutilated remains of the niches and canopies may still be traced (Fig. 407). These side windows and niches have unfortunately been very much destroyed in consequence of the various alterations the building has been subjected to, the original noble hall having been divided into several floors, and staircases and partitions having been introduced so as to convert it into modern barracks. The original roof, which was of fine open timber- work, has also disappeared, and a modern roof has been substituted. Grose speaks of the Parliament Hall as being "very high, with a timbered roof," when he visited it in 1797. The removal of the ancient roof, and the insertion of the floors and staircase, seem thus to have taken place about the beginning of this century. The two oriels have suffered less than the other parts of the building, and all the elaborate and beautiful details of their architecture, that on the east being especially fine, can be quite distinctly made out, as the annexed illustration shows (Fig. 408). The flat segmental arch over the windows on each side, and at the south end of the hall, and the very deep external bay of these windows, are remarkable features. A similar deep bay may be observed in many of the windows in Linlithgow Palace, and at Crookston and Niddrie Castles. The cornice and parapet, with the angle bartizans shown in the general view (Fig. 407), are partly suggested restorations ; but for these the data are obtained from Slezer's views, which show that the gables had crow-steps and angle bartizans, and that the eastern staircase turret had a conical roof in his time (1693). It will be observed that the whole character of the work at the Parliament Hall is of a decidedly earlier style than that of the Palace. It is, in fact, purely Late Gothic, while, as we shall see presently, the Palace has a distinct feeling of Renaissance in its details. It would therefore appear that the usual tradition which ascribes the hall to James in. is probably correct. Tradition is, however, not quite so accurate as regards the entrance gateway, which is popularly said to be of Norman date. The style of this gateway is undoubtedly the same as that of the hall (Fig. 409). The mouldings of the doorways, and the hood mouldings over the doors and windows, are all of the same period as those of the hall. In Slezer's time the two round towers had projecting battlements supported on corbels, and were finished with a smaller turret above with a conical roof, in the