east-lothian-1924/05-242

Transcription

YESTER.] -- INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS IN EAST LOTHIAN. -- [YESTER.

curtain against the solid rock. The staircase is
narrow, merely sufficient for the passage of people
in single file ; the sides are lined with masonry
inferior to that of the super-structure, and the
roof is formed of a semicircular vault. For
what purpose this elaborate passage was con-
structed is obscure* ; still more so is the reason
why the project was abandoned, unless the
builders feared that further tunnelling would
threaten the stability of the angle of the curtain.
On the higher level of the enceinte, the
portion of the site above the " Goblin Ha' "
and beyond the curtain through which it is
entered, has been apparently enclosed by a wall.
Within the enceinte, against and embodying
the east curtain, is a range of building which
has been at least three storeys in height and
dates from the end of the 15th century. The
lowest storey is ceiled with a semicircular
barrel vault and contains a fireplace in the west
wall and a slit-window in the east with a
stepped sole. Above this vault only the east
wall remains. The first floor has been ceiled in
wood. It contains the remnants of a large fire-
place, in the back of which are the sill and
jamb of a window, not an uncommon occurrence
in mediæval work ; adjoining the fireplace and
to the south is an ogival-headed ambry. The
floor above has been ceiled by a lofty stone
barrel vault probably pointed in form. The
only feature now remaining is the jamb of a
lofty window, evidently intended to have a
pointed arched head. On the arris of the jamb
is wrought a shaft with an edge fillet and
quirked flanking hollows. The shaft termin-
ates in a belled base, dying out on a corbel.
Within the jamb is a cupboard with a pointed
arched head, entirely framed within bead-and-
hollow mouldings returning around the foot
and not, as is usual, received on a sloping sill.
The opening is 1 1/2 feet broad and 3 feet high ;
above the apex is a shield uncarved. The
cupboard also has a pointed arched roof and
is 4 1/4 feet deep and 3 1/4 feet broad.
On the west of the enceinte are the remains
of another range of buildings now only a few
* Sousterrains formed in the natural rock were
a feature of Chateau-Gaillard, the castle raised
by Richard I on the bank of the Seine ; at Coucy
may been seen in the court the mouths of vaulted
galleries leading underground, which have never
been cleared ; and underground caves and passages
are features of these fortified structures.

147

feet above ground, and from the most northerly
of these the stair leading down to the " Goblin
Ha' " is entered. South of this may be traced
an apartment, which has been lit by a two-light
Gothic window on the east, the roll-and-hollow
moulded jambs and the mullion seat of which
remain in situ. A second and smaller window
can be traced, which lighted this apartment
from the south and opened apparently into a
trance between these buildings and others
farther south still more fragmentary.
The remains of the main entrance and others
of the more important features which usually
supply fairly conclusive evidence of date, are
either buried or missing. The lower hall or
" Goblin Ha' " may date from the 13th
century, and the western range was probably
built towards the close of the 14th century.
The masonry of the walls of enceinte is not
unlike that found in early 15th century work,
while the ogival-headed basin in the west wall
and the detail of the eastern range is clearly
15th century work-and later rather than early.
Much could be done to preserve the ruins,
which appear to have received no attention
since falling into a state of disrepair. In
particular the vegetation on the walls and
vaulting should be removed, and the tops of the
walls weather-proofed.
HISTORICAL NOTE.-Yester belonged of old
to the family of Gifford1 from whom, in the
14th century the lands passed to the Hays.2
In 1267 died " Hugo Giffard de Zester, whose
castle or at least the cave and donjon (tower),
as old stories tell, had been constructed by
magic (arte dæmonica) : for there is a mar-
vellous subterranean cavern, wonderfully con-
structed and carried under a great extent of
ground, which is popularly called Bohall."3
The castle was occupied by a constable for
Edward II. in 1311.4
" The Lord of Yester's house " figured in
the operations by the English connected with
the occupation of Haddington in the 16th
century.5 On February 24, 1548, Lord Grey
[marginal note]
It was then held by
the [French Oiwall
of Accounts]. p..46.
of Wilton got possession of it and committed
its guarding to Sir George Douglas with fifty
men. By the end of April, however, Lord
Grey reports it as kept by Spaniards and
holding out against the English fort at Hadd-
ington, so that it must have been recaptured
by the Scoto-French forces. Again it fell into