stirling-1963-vol-1/05_244

Transcription

No. 192 -- CASTLES AND TOWER-HOUSES -- No. 192

[Plans Inserted]

[Handwritten on plan] *
< 32ft >

Fig. 79. Stirling Castle (No. 192); plans of the Great Hall, restored

it. This upper portion of the stair was removed at the
end of the 18th century when the present roof was con-
structed. Slezer also shows two chimneys on the E.
façade, one at each side of the stair-tower (Pls. 57, 58;
cf. p. 211); the S. one has disappeared, but the N. one
survives, although rebuilt, and is now blocked. These
chimneys will be discussed below in relation to the
original provision of fireplaces for the Great Hall.
The S. gable (Fig. 82; Pl. 87 B) is built of rubble up to
the sills of the windows and above that level is of ashlar.
A splayed offset-course about 10 ft. above ground level
marks the approximate level of the principal floor.
Below the offset-course there is an original window
which has had a square hood-mould with carved stops,
now cut away. At the level of the offset-course a doorway
was broken out in the 18th century; this is reached from
a forestair and gives access to the bridge that links the
Hall and the Palace. As already explained, this bridge is
probably of 19th-century date, but one springer of its
predecessor can be seen at the SW. angle above the offset-
course, together with the carved stop for the hood-mould
of its arch. Higher up still may be seen one end of a
boldly moulded horizontal panel, presumably one of
a series continuing across the original bridge, some no
doubt being pierced for lighting. The top of the panel
is level with the sills of the windows that lit the principal
floor of the Hall; these have double lights with segmental
heads, both jambs and arch-heads being wrought with a
hollow and an edge-roll moulding as are the original
double windows on the W. and E. façades. Above is the
corbel course at the angles where rounds have been
removed. Above the wall-head two late 18th-century
windows replace the two original windows that remain,
built up, in the upper part of the gable. The chimney
stack situated between the windows has been renewed
and the original crow-steps have been replaced by plain,
tabled skews. The masonry of the gable is pitted in places,
as if by missiles, perhaps a relic of the sieges of 1651 or
1746 (cf. pp. 187 and 189).
The lower part of the N. gable is now masked by the
vaulted transe and gallery that were added in the middle
of the 16th century (cf. p. 210). Above the gallery the
gable wall of the Hall is exposed and contains two pairs
of windows, the mouldings of which differ from those
of the S. gable. Each window contains two square-
headed lights beneath a segmental-arched head. In the

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[Handwritten] * Cf. H.M. Gen. Register House,
Clerk of Penicuik papers, No. 5013.