east-lothian-1924/05-079

Transcription

DIRLETON.] -- HISTORICAL MONUMENTS (SCOTLAND) COMMISSION. -- [DIRLETON.

jambs ; the east jamb contains the usual
bar-hole.
BUILDING PERIODS.-Three main periods
may be traced in the castle buildings c.
13th, 15th and 16th centuries. In the 13th
century the castle appears to have consisted
of an enclosure formed by walls of enceinte
following the perimeter of the site very much
on the line of the walls now standing. The
south-western angle contains the main building,
which has towers semicircular and oblong, pro-
jecting outwardly (fig. 57). East of this the
south wall is penetrated by the main entrance
(fig. 58) and originally terminated at the south-
east angle in a circular tower, of which only the
lower portion remains. The lowest courses of
another similar tower, which originally occupied
the N.N.E. angle, have now (1924) been ex-
posed. Later work overlies these, and a small
circular tower has left foundations in the south.
The existing ranges of building against the
east and south curtains were erected in the
15th century, but, as these structures appear
to incorporate older buildings, particularly at
the south-eastern angle, it is difficult to
determine the exact chronology of the parts.
The 16th century building comprises a
structure now forming the northern boundary
of a court at the south-west angle with
adjoining towers containing the staircases.
MASONRY.-The 13th century masonry is of
ashlar blocks in 10-inch courses built with a
batter towards the base. The stone used is a
fine-grained hard white sandstone and a
similarly tinted but much softer stone re-
sembling that from Gullane Quarry in the
vicinity. Several stones deeper in hue appear
to be marine. The later work is constructed
in rubble apparently obtained on the site,
with freestone dressings.
Externally the 13th century masonry is visible
southwards from the top of the stepped access
[marginal note]
not shown on
plan
to the courtyard on the west side to the west
jamb of the main entrance in the south wall.
It is again traceable from the east of the
entrance to just beyond the small cruciform
aperture in the guardroom adjoining the
entrance, and again in the remains of the
circular tower at the south-eastern angle. On
plan this work is tinted solid black. This
masonry is seen internally throughout the main
structure and, while the outer wall of the

18

eastern buildings is a later construction, the
inner face seems to follow the line of the
original curtain. This supposition is strength-
ened by the fact that there is in this east wall
at the cellar level the 13th century side gate,
already mentioned, built up by a later wall in
front of it. The north end of this range was
completed rather later than the main portion
(see fig. 55).
A noticeable feature throughout the earliest
building is the use of pointed segmental
ribbed arches and rib vaulting constructed in
freestone. It should be noted that the ribs
of the larger vaults have entirely disappeared
through decay, but that the vaults still stand.
In the 15th century work the barrel vault is
resorted to, and the majority of the openings
have semicircular heads.
THE BUILDINGS.-The buildings of the 13th
century are grouped round a small tri-
angular court and are intact except on the
north, where a 16th century structure is im-
posed on old foundations. A 16th century
trance leads from the courtyard to the court,
and from the court to the lowest storey of the
buildings is entered. There has been no inter-
communication between the chambers at this
level, but each has an entrance from the court.
The principle building is the great drum tower
on the south, which has an exterior diameter
of 36 feet and contains on the ground floor an
irregular hexagonal chamber, rib-vaulted, with-
in walls about 10 feet thick. This apartment
is feebly lighted by three narrow window-slits.
There is a fireplace at the north-north-west in
a very ruinous state ; the jambs have been
chamfered at the inner arris and corbelled out
at the head to carry a projecting hood. From
a recess in the west wall a mural passage winds
round to a garderobe provided with a soil
flue and now communicating with a rib-
vaulted chamber in the oblong tower through
a rent in the partition. This latter chamber,
which originally could only be entered by the
door at the south angle of the court, also has
a soil flue adjoining that previously mentioned.
There is a narrow window in each of the ex-
terior walls. The north-west and south-west
angles have a chase running upwards through
the vault and through the vault of the chamber
above, but for what purpose is not obvious.
The smaller circular tower contains a quad-