Page:The castellated and domestic architecture of Scotland from the twelfth to the eighteenth century (1887) - Volume 2.djvu/290

 FOURTH PERIOD 274 GRANTULLY CASTLE alterations were made in the seventeenth century to suit the require- ments of the time. The peculiarly square form of the main building, and the great thick- ness of the walls, would almost lead one to suppose that originally the castle was a square keep, the walls of which were utilised in the con- struction of the more recent edifice. As we now find it, the plan is that of the Z form, with two square towers at opposite angles (Fig. 731), the south-western tower containing the entrance doorway in the re-enter- ing angle. The principal staircase does not seem to have ascended in this tower to the first-floor level in the ordinary manner, but has a round tower inserted to contain it in the angle between the square tower and the main building. This is simply a modification of the ordinary arrangement, which consists of having a round turret corbelled out in the angle to contain the staircase to the upper floors, whereas here a somewhat larger round tower is introduced, instead of the staircase turret, and is carried down to the ground level, in lieu of being corbelled out at the first-floor level. One reason for this deviation from the usual practice seems to have been that it has been found convenient to introduce a vaulted prison under the floor of the south-west tower, with a guard-room above it on the ground floor. The kitchen has been in later times inserted in the north-east tower (with an outer door through one of the cellars), but it could not have been placed here originally, as there was no proper access to it. This, along with the other vaulted chambers in the central block, was no doubt a cellar. As generally occurs, the cellars are all pierced with loopholes or shot-holes for defence. On the first floor is the hall, of an unusually square form (24 feet 3 inches by 21 feet 3 inches). This room is panelled in wood, and has a fine effect. Possibly the room in the south-west tower may originally have been the kitchen, but in later times seems to have been made into a service-room or pantry. The room in the north-east tower was appar- ently the private room. There is a narrow passage formed in the thick- ness of the eastern wall of the main building, which may be a relic of the more ancient castle. It seems, however, in later times to have been used in connection with garde-robes in the wall. Such passages are most unusual in sixteenth-century buildings, but would be easily accounted for on the supposition above made, that this was originally an older square keep, as passages of this kind are quite common in such buildings. The division of the rooms on the upper floors corresponds with that on the first floor. The towers at the north- east and south-west angles are carried up above the level of the roof of the main building, so as to present the appearance of independent gabled towers, while the staircase turret is carried up still higher, and is finished with a late O.G.-shaped roof.