Page:The castellated and domestic architecture of Scotland from the twelfth to the eighteenth century (1887) - Volume 1.djvu/591

 DUNNOTTAR CASTLE - 571 THIRD PERIOD of the platform. These buildings do not appear to have been begun before the death of William, the fourth Earl, in 1581, as he lived a retired life at Dunnottar, and was known as "William of the Tower," from his living in the keep. This range contained on the ground floor seven separate living apartments, each provided with a fireplace, and with a separate entrance from the outside, while on the floor above (Fig. 486) there was a grand gallery or reception-room (now called the Ball-room), 115 feet long by 15 feet wide, with a private room at the north end. The entrance to the gallery is by a fine square staircase in the tower at the south-west corner, with a small turret stair ascending to rooms in the upper floors of the tower above the staircase. From the style of the corbelling, etc. (Fig. 484), it may be inferred that this building belongs to the latter half of the sixteenth century. The chapel appears also to be of about this date, but it has no archi- tectural features of importance. Its size is however remarkable, being 57 feet long by 15 feet wide internally. It was also of considerable height, and had probably an open roof. The walls were at one time ornamented with monuments to the Keith Marischals, but these no longer exist. With the exception of the Royal palaces and castles, private chapels such as this one are rare in the mansions of this period. Small oratories or chapels, like those of Doune and Affleck Castles, represent the pro- vision, if any, usually made for Divine Service. In course of time, the keep, with the various extensions above men- tioned, became insufficient, and the increased importance of the Earls Marischal required a mansion more suited to their state and the fashion of the times. This led to the erection of the buildings forming the north and east sides of the quadrangle. The irregular form of this quadrangle seems to have been caused by the position of the western range and the chapel which had been pre- viously erected. That these were previously erected is evident from the windows of two and the door of one of the rooms at the north end of the west range being built up, thus necessitating the opening of a door to the northmost of these apartments on the other side. A window in the east gable of the chapel has also been closed by the new buildings erected against it. The new buildings in the quadrangle render it a complete mansion of the seventeenth century. The north and east sides were probably erected about the beginning of that century. The north range contains vaulted storerooms on the ground floor, and a large kitchen, with great fireplace, two ovens, stone sink and drain, and a service window close to the main staircase. The east range contains a brewhouse, with the site of the vat and fireplace still in existence, and a bakehouse, with its oven built out beyond the wall. The entrance to this floor is by a wide passage with a door in the