sutherland-1911/02_017

Transcription

xviii -- HISTORICAL MONUMENTS (SCOTLAND) COMMISSION.

Loch Assynt, is a picturesque specimen of a late 16th century tower.
Historically, it is interesting as the place to which the Marquess of
Montrose was led a prisoner by Macleod of Assynt in 1650. Of
Borve Castle (No. 264), once a stronghold of the Mackays on the north
coast, practically nothing remains. Tongue House (No. 525), lying
among pleasant gardens and woods by the shore of the Kyle of
Tongue, is the only structure representative of the domestic archi-
tecture of the latter half of the 17th century, but it has been altered
and added to since its first erection in 1678. Sir Robert Gordon,
in his Earldom of Sutherland, states the existence of "castles and
pyles" at the following places in the first half of the 17th century,
viz.:- "Skibo (wher ther is a fair orchard, in the which ther be
excellent cherreis)," "Dulrossie, Golspikirktoun, Torrish (built
by Sir Alexander Gordon in 1621), Cratock, Cuttle, Clyn, Enbo,
Durnies, Abirscors, Ospisdale, and Clentredwale." Of these, no trace
now remains. The existence of various islands in lochs, probably of
partially artificial character, has been noted in the Inventory. They
are referred to by Sir Robert Gordon as pleasant habitations in
summer; and on one of them, viz.- the island in Loch Brora, there
are still foundations of a building.

DEFENSIVE CONSTRUCTIONS.

Of the defensive constructions, the brochs, or massive circular dry-
built towers, must take precedence by reason not only of their
number, which far exceeds that of all other objects of this class,
but also for the peculiar interest which attaches to these structures.
From the few better-preserved examples existing in various parts of
Scotland, as well as from the plans of those which have been excavated,
a more or less complete knowledge is obtainable of their original form
and arrangement. In construction they are built of undressed,
roughly shaped stones, without mortar or cementing material of any
kind. In plan they are round, almost invariably circular, with a wall
of from 12' to 18' in thickness at base, with a batter for the first 8'
or 10' as it mounts upwards, enclosing an interior court open to the
sky with a diameter of from 28' to 34', any measurement less or
more being exceptional. The height of the structure is presumed to
have been from 40' to 60'. An entrance some 3' wide and 4' 6" to 5'
high, roofed with flagstones, leads to the interior through a narrow
passage, having checks for a door a few feet inward, and a guard-
chamber on the right in the thickness of the wall, with occasionally
another chamber on the opposite side. Save the entrance, no other
aperture pierced the wall of the broch from the exterior. From the
interior court there opened one or more small chambers in the thick-
ness of the wall, roofed with converging stones, lighted at times by
an opening above the doorway, carried inward as a shaft along the
roof of the chamber passage. A staircase within the thickness of
the wall, approached through an entrance situated on the left of the
court, wound to the top, giving access to a number of floors or
galleries carried round the tower, the flagged roof of each gallery
being the floor of that above. From the galleries a series of openings
on to the courtyard, rising one above the other, served as windows
and supplied the light. Nowhere out of Scotland is a broch known