Page:The castellated and domestic architecture of Scotland from the twelfth to the eighteenth century (1887) - Volume 1.djvu/560

 THIRD PERIOD 540 RAVENSCRAIG CASTLE of which are below the level of the courtyard (Fig. 462), but are above the ground outside nearly all round. The entrance is in the centre of the curtain, through a broadly splayed round arched doorway (Fig. 463) some 8 or 9 feet above the ditch, which was no doubt crossed by a moveable wooden bridge leading to the doorway. The door was secured by a sliding bar, exposed when drawn back, in the guard-room adjoining. This room is provided with a fireplace, and lighted by a long narrow slit. The vaulted entrance passage, 35 feet long and 7 feet wide, leads to the courtyard. On either side of the passage, and behind the curtain, are vaulted cellars. These cellars project 12 feet into the courtyard beyond the inner face of the keep, and this space opposite the keep is occupied FIG. 461. Ravenscraig Castle. View from the North-West. by a fore court and staircase leading to the first floor. This staircase, as well as the vaulted basement of the keep, are protected by the outer door of the fore court, which has a portcullis groove on one side (the other side having been altered and rebuilt), as well as by other doors at the entrance to the staircase and to the basement. At the top of the fore stair, and in the south-east corner of the keep, a newel stair leads to the two upper floors and an attic. The first floor (Fig. 460) contains the hall, 26 feet by 18 feet, with a large fireplace and three mural chambers. Over this (Fig. 462) was a similar upper or private hall, and