Page:The castellated and domestic architecture of Scotland from the twelfth to the eighteenth century (1887) - Volume 1.djvu/586

 THIRD PERIOD 566 DUNNOTTAR CASTLE promontory of the castle rock called the " Fiddle-head " (Fig. 478). The road then winds round the base of the rock till it comes to the gateway, which is approached by steps, and is defended by a building on the right called " Benholme's Lodging" (Fig. 479), furnished with three tiers of loopholes. The original gateway (now partly built up) was 5| feet wide, with a semicircular arch. It is the only opening in a solid wall 35 feet high, crowned with a parapet wall and battlement, which is continued seawards till it joins the perpendicular face of the rock. The above buildings and wall fill up the only cleft in the rock by which access to the interior of the castle, which stands on the summit, can be obtained. On passing the archway the visitor is confronted by the portcullis (Fig. 480), beyond which, at the top of a flight of steps, four oval embrasures for guns, arranged in the form of an oblong with a square embrasure in the centre, frown down upon him. On the left hand (Fig. 481) is the guard-room, and on the right a door leading to the ground floor of "Benholme's Lodging," which at this point is excavated out of the rock, and contains a small prison. The guard-room in front, from which the five embrasures open, is also to a great extent dug out of the rock. At the top of the above-mentioned flight of steps the roadway turns at right angles to the left, and ascends rapidly, with occasional steps in its course to ease the ascent. After 29 feet it again turns at right angles to the right, and, still ascend- ing, at 29 feet further (Fig. 478) is interrupted by a door, 5 feet wide, strongly secured, leading into an arched passage or tunnel 26 feet in length, defended with a door at the other end. Beyond this the open roadway is continued till it is stopped by another arched passage 26 feet 7 inches long, defended with doors or gratings at either end. This second tunnel passed, the road at length emerges by a round arched doorway (to the right, Fig. 482) on to the open platform on the top of the rock. The open portions of the above approach are completely commanded from the buildings above, and from the parapets which no doubt formerly crowned the entrances to the tunnels, as well as from the steep slopes of the ground on either side. The passage itself is curved, so as to give shelter to the defenders, while the sloping ascent would give them a great advantage over the assailants. The whole thus formed as impregnable an approach as can well be conceived. Some of the buildings at the gateway are evidently of a late date, but they must have been preceded by others of a similar nature. This elaborate approach is probably not so old as the keep, the Fio. 481. Dunnottar Castle. Plan of Entrance.