Page:The castellated and domestic architecture of Scotland from the twelfth to the eighteenth century (1887) - Volume 2.djvu/424

 FOURTH PERIOD 408 - ETHIE CASTLE tends to show that this was a castle either of the simple keep or L plan, with the staircase in the north-west angle. The first floor would be the hall, over the vaulted chambers, and seems to have been provided as usual with a private stair to the wine-cellar, of which some traces remain in the south-west angle. Ethie is described in Cardinal Beaton's time as being a " fortalace of considerable antiquity." This probably refers to the block just mentioned, which may thus have been a structure of the fifteenth century, like the keeps of Edzell, Rosyth, etc., forming a tower of greater height than the building now presents. The large room to the east of this, with projecting staircase, is appa- rently an addition made in the sixteenth century to provide the enlarged accommodation then required. The staircase at the south-east angle reminds us of a similar one in the courtyard of Dunnottar Castle. The walls of the courtyard appear to have extended northwards to the round tower at the north-west angle, and then eastwards from that point. Offices no doubt extended along part of these walls, some of which (including a kitchen with its great fireplace) are still preserved. The numerous newel staircases also indicate some of the old parts of the plan. The original castle thus became extended into a mansion built round a courtyard, with the main building on the south, the kitchen wing on the north, and the west side enclosed with a wall containing the entrance gateway. In later times the west wall has been raised and rooms built against it, the entrance being still preserved in the centre. Even these rooms appear to be ancient, from arms and carving on the stone-work at the back. Many of the old rooms are full of interest from the antique furniture and fine tapestry and hangings they contain. Externally there are few features of importance. The south-east stair turret, above referred to, has been little altered. This staircase now forms a private access to the garden. The very large windows in the rooms on the first floor are evidently insertions of last century. The alterations of the walls are distinctly visible. The turrets and back buildings at the kitchen wing still display a good deal of the original work. At the east end of the north range is situated on the first floor what was formerly the chapel. An outer courtyard, measuring 100 feet each way, lies to the northward of the castle. It contained an arched entrance gateway in the north wall, where it adjoins the main roadway and bridge over a small stream. From the coat of arms above it, and the stone mounting steps outside, this was clearly at one time the chief entrance to the large outer courtyard just mentioned, but probably later than the small entrance in the west wall. The whole buildings were formerly surrounded with a moat or ditch on all sides, but is now filled up except the north-east angle, where it is partly occupied with old trees, and in some places dug out.