Page:The castellated and domestic architecture of Scotland from the twelfth to the eighteenth century (1887) - Volume 2.djvu/367

 FYVIE CASTLE 351 FOURTH PERIOD the steps have upright mouldings showing their section on the tread an indication of a late date. The average length of the steps is 8 feet 11 inches. The construction of the staircase consists of a series of flat arches thrown between the newel and the outer walls, each successive arch, as the stair ascends, being at right angles to and some steps higher than the preceding one (Fig. 799). The square spaces thus formed by these arches are vaulted so as to form the rests for the steps. The undermost