Page:The castellated and domestic architecture of Scotland from the twelfth to the eighteenth century (1887) - Volume 2.djvu/117

 ELCHO CASTLE 101 FOURTH PERIOD building resembles such transition castles as Drochil, combining many of the earlier defensive features with those of the later and more domestic Fio. 567s. Elcho Castle. Plan of Third Floor. type. Although somewhat exceptional, from the number of towers attached to it, this is essentially a development of the keep plan. Fig. 569 gives some details of the stone-roofed turret, dormer windows, and plastered cornice of the hall, the latter fast falling to decay. One of the dormers of the south front, illustrated in Fig. 569, contains in the gablet an annulet or ring, which is the mark of cadency used by heralds to denote a fifth son. But as fifth sons were seldom able to build such costly structures as Elcho Castle, this annulet may possibly commemorate the birth of a fifth son. We may observe here the heavy iron gratings which are so common in the windows of most of the Scotch castles of this period. The object was no doubt to prevent access from without ; but there is a memorable instance of their having had the misfortune to prevent egress during a conflagration. In 1630 the castle of Frendraught, Aberdeenshire, was set on fire during the night, and Lord Aboyne, the Laird of Rothiemay, and others, who were guests in the house, were burnt alive, being unable to effect their escape by the windows, which were all strongly grated. Elcho Castle was undoubtedly surrounded with walls, and probably had a ditch outside. There is a natural hollow along the east and south- east easily capable of being utilised for defence. The only evidence of