THE DEVELOPMENT OF CAERLAVEROCK CASTLE. 29

III. . H . P . G Y B . CASTLE K CAERLAVEROC F O T THEDEVELOPMEN WATSON", F.S.A.ScoT., SECRETARY.

Caerlaverock Castle, which stands in. a swamp on the Solway flats about nine miles south-south-east of Dumfries, must be reckoned among the foremost examples of secular architecture in Scotland. The site is naturally secured by its marshy surroundings, but immediately to the north rises firmer ground, and a spur of this declining into the marsh has been adapted for the castle by insulating and protecting it with a system of ramparts and ditches ; the inner ditch formerly spanned by a drawbridge is full of water, 10 feet deep in parts; the outer ditch, swampy and difficult of passage, was probably crossed on a traverse controlled by a gate or other forework; the entire system of outworks was com- manded from the defensive wallheads of the castle. The ramparts seem to be mainly of sand; the subsoil of the site is clay, and the distribution of rock and hard foundation upon it may have e Th . structures e th f o t arrangemen l genera d an t exten e th d dictate castle is illustrated in an interesting MS. military report prepared between 1563 and 1566 by an English official and now preserved in the Cottonian Collection, British Museum; the report is reproduced in the History of Liddesdale and the Debateable Land, App. LXX. p. CIX., from which the undernoted extract relative to Caerlaverock is taken. " The mouthe of the Water of Nytht: A schallow revare: noo weshalles can come furtht of Englonde in yt but at the ful sea, and that at the crope of the tyde; soo that thei mon pas the Longrake sande, in the myddes of Sulwaye: And yf thei come from Wirkingtoun or that coest, thei mon come upoun Gallowaye syde on the same maner. There boates and vesshells can not excede ten townes, soo any interprise in that revare to be attempted by waiter, ys to small purpose, oneles the cuntrie wor ones wyn, and some fortification in the same, and in that caise bootes may arryve as occacion served, witht vittell and other necessariis, from Holme lordshippe and that coest, being ten myles over by watter. "Half a myle from the watter mowtht of Nytht, and upoun theast syde of the same, standitht the castell of Carlaverok, pertenyng to the Lorde Maxwell: Noo house presentlie to be kept from cannon or battarde, nor yet can be made strong, as the platt thereof hereafter presentlie will shew, onles the hill above the same, called the Warde Law, be fortifyed; bootes as said ys of ten tonnes will come to the foote of this hill at the full sea, distant from Holme lordishippe in Englonde xj myles over Sulway watter. Shoulde Lorde Maxwell making a joyall of yt to schyft

THE DEVELOPMENT OF CAERLAVEROCK CASTLE. 81 him self furtht of Englonde after his apprehension, caused the same be theighy possessions Henr vittalin tr , fo Yngle d n i an ;d g thereof delyvere of eterne memorye sent to aide my Lorde Wharton, capitane Camboo, t hundreith e four d an , e hargabusersthowsand spanzeondes a , t with clavoys horsinen, whiche tuik noo effect, the howse being rendred up or strengh" o no cammee s a aid d ttenable. an , s overlook , sea-level r ove t fee 3 31 f o t heigh a o t g risin , Law d War e Th n O . distant e mil a t abou d an d northwar s lie t i h whic m fro , castle e th . earthwork c prehistori a s i t summi e th h nort e th o t x ape e th h wit d dispose e triangl a s i e castl e th n pla n O s curtain y b d protecte e ar e bas d an o tht s ee seabas flank ;e th d an s angle e ,ag th t terminatin , walk t parape a h wit d surmounte y originall s tower n twi d an , base e th t a s tower e singl e ar e Ther . towers d circle n i at the apex, the latter fronting the gatehouse and flanking the entrance, which looks northward to 'the higher ground, where there was a large walled enclosure provided with an unusually large and lofty gate, still . north-east e th o t g openin , extant The front (fig. 1) is perhaps the most majestic of the quasi-military facades of Scotland. It comprises the gatehouse, the kernel of the n i r Towe s David' n o t tha . to r simila r rathe l detai s bear h whic , castle e lat e th o t d assigne e b y definitel n ca t tha l detai , Castle h Edinburg l piecemea a s i e gatehous . The . century h fifteent y earl r o h fourteent l origina e th t tha . MacGribbon show Messrs Kose d . nan shav construction forewora d kbehin , plan e th m fro n see s wil a e , b l obscured s lie e entranc built about the middle of the. fifteenth century, at which time the parapet or bartizan was completed. The west tower had at first no gun-loops, e th f o y masonr s insertions e th e obviou e whil ;ar t exis h whic e thos d an s i e ther y internall , externally e disturbanc f o n sig o n s show r towe t eas - cap e Th . secondary e ar o als r towe s thi n i s gun-loop e th t tha e evidenc house and superstructures are early sixteenth-century additions. The east flank (fig. 2) comprises the east tower and gable of the gate- y largel n bee s ha , lower h muc y c\irtaine th h formerl , whic d beyon , house rebuilt and finally embodied in a range of seventeenth-century building. It will be noticed that the south-east tower no longer survives. The bartizan is carried across the gable and is continued for a short distance southward on a screen of masonry, forming a protective wing to conceal the junction of gatehouse and curtain. There is little doubt that the vulnerable points of a structure were obvious to the mediaeval soldier, and devices such as this were employed to render his deductions ineffectual. e Th . length s it f o t par r greate e th r fo d demolishe s i n curtai e bas e Th south-west tower, contemporary with the gatehouse, has four storeys,

34 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, DECEMBER 11, 1922. n curtai e th m fro d s -werentere e storey r g vaulteduppe bein e e th ; non - distinguish t jus t bu , up d Fille . stairs l interna o n e wer e ther r fo , walls able, are meurtrieres formed in the window breasts. At the junction of the tower with the base curtain lay a door opening to the ditch, in which, . water f o t fee 0 1 e ar e ther , place s thi t a d obscure y partl n see s i e gatehous e th f o r rea e th , interior e th n Withi by a rear-work (c. 1500) supported on lofty piers. Against the west curtain earln a s yi sixteenth-century Aving jusd an t, beyon t risedi staia s r tower of rather later date. Against the east curtain stands the latest addition, a seventeenth-century range which returned - incor d an e bas alonh e th gsout e th n o porated the curtain. The west flank (fig. 3) exhibits different types of masonry. In general, the masonry of the towers and wing is ashlar work, d an e cours e th n i w lo t wrough y finel y ver t par r uppe e th t bu , jointed y carefull y ver d an h roug y curiousl s i n curtai t wes e th f o a , wall r inne n a s a t buil y presumabl was - conjunc n i d considere n whe , which l detai tion with the presence of tiers of putlog holes, leads to the inference that there was a two-storeyed hoard or balcony, e th g overhangin , secondary y obviousl d foun e ar s hoard r simila f o s Trace . ditch t a , example r fo , Scotland n i e elsewher BASEMENT Duimottar Castle. Just beyon e fludth e Fig . Plan4 . Portf so Lao e e paraped Coucyt th na f o - t priv a yvertica l joinn i t le- a eau. ^^ masonry runs from wallhead to base, and, indicates that the base tower and some 3 feet of the adjoining f o d en h nort e th t a y masonr e Th . unit a s a d constructe e wer n curtai . spliced n bee y apparentl s ha n curtai e th All fortifications run pretty much on stereotyped lines, and the gate- house of Caerlaverock has its analogies. For example, the plan of the , similar y Laoe markedl d s t Coucy-le-Chateaue i na , 4 . Port fig n i n show , though that building is much larger and presumably a century and a half earlier than Caerlaverock. While there is this resemblance in the plans, the purpose of the structures is entirely different. The French s thi n i , gate d fortifie a "chatelet,"a y y merel technicall s i e exampl

1 instance on a town wall, simpler patterns of which are the "Bars" of 1 Longtoft, speaking of the Caerlaverock Castle captured by Edward I. in 1300, described it as specifics seem .m ter e th e Franc n i t bu "pover, castle ee chastelet,littl r poo "a THE DEVELOPMENT OF CAERLAVEROCK CASTLE. 35 y essentiall was , however , townsh Caerlaverock ;Englis r othe d an k Yor a residence, a strong one certainly, of the type termed the " gatehouse castle," since the house is concentrated over the entry. Although a French example is cited here for comparison, that is not to say that y length a , Scotlandd contrary an e e th n o ; Franc o t r peculia s i y entr s thi list might be given of gates both in England and in Wales very similarly arranged.

Fig. 5. A B. Plans of Castle as originally built; C D. Plans of Castle showing additions; E F. Elevations of south wall of Gatehouse. Caerlaverock in its earlier form (cf. plan, fig. 5) comprised a house of five storeys wit hcourtyara rean di r enclose curtaiy db n walls less than d four-storeye n i s angle e bas e th t a g terminatin , height n i s storey e thre towers. The house was complete in itself, for the base towers, to judge y temporar d an e defenc r fo y primaril d intende e wer , survivor e th y b e Th . accommodation e additiona g provid dwellin o lt t no d an r shelte entrance lay deeply recessed within the frontal towers, and the vaulted trance was protected first, by an opening that penetrates the wall 36 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, DECEMBER 11, 1922.

, water t ho h whic h throug n machicolatio a e h y onl n ca d an y verticall tar, or such like could be poured on'assailants; the second defence was a portcullis, the third a gate. Sufficient barriers we might suppose, r fo , e medisevath f o n engineer l opinio e th n i e inadequat y evidentl t ye we find in course of time-that they were considerably augmented till they finally comprised, first, the drawbridge which folded up within a d opene h whic e gat entrancee a , th d second ; covere y completel d an s reces out and could only be opened when the drawbridge was lowered; third, g inward r openin portcullis; e fifthgat anothe a ,portcullis a , ; fourth ; e gat a , eighth ; d mentione t firs e gat d an s portculli e th , seventh d an h sixt tenthd an ; a , gate r simila a north)e , th o t ninth ; (i.e. s outward g openin f o s builder e Th . e ab rea o t portcullis r d e whicassume s i hfeatur Caerlaverock seem to have realised that the entrance to a castle was its vulnerable point. The three last-mentioned defences were intended to prevent access from the courtyard, a precaution not usually taken: It is of course most unlikely that all these barriers were in use at one time. On either side of the trance lies a vaulted porters' room communi- h wit e , onceagre I vaulted,towers h e th n i thoug ' r cella a h wit g catin Messrs MacGibbon and Ross that the vaulting is secondary. I would go further and.suggest that much of the existing vaulting is .a renewal. As the'basement .was vaulted and there was no internal. communication with the upper floors, the former might be taken without involving the e littl s wa e ther e fir n o t wen t basemen e th f i , further ; e whol e th f o l fal danger of the conflagration spreading upward. The first floor seems to have been originally entered towards the west t upt i ; buil n see s i y doorwa d arche e wid a e wher , wall h sout e th f o d en must have been reached by a forestair of timbe.r (fig. 5, E),—and a precisely e th n Whe . Carcassone t a r towe e gat a n i d foun s i t arrangemen r simila s wa g adjoinin w windo a , altered s wa y doorwa s thi d behin e turnpik , opened up to form a1 more convenient entrance" which' must also have been reached by a forestair (fig. 5, F). r fo , floor t firs e th f o y bod e th d occupie e gatehous e th f o l hal e Th the present mid-partition is sixteenth-century work, and there was an y la e thes o t s entrance e th n towerse th f o betwee ;h eac n i m roo r inne s ha e gabl t eas e Th . worked s wa s portculli e th h whic m fro s reces a been rebuilt internally; it would contain a large fireplace probably with e th n o e turnpik e th m fro d reache , floors r uppe e Th . hood r o l mante a west, were similarly arranged. The towers have vaulted ceilings to the second floor; the western of these is ribbed, as will be seen from 'fig. 6. From the second floor upwards there is an additional chamber within the mid-fifteenth century forework, which in each case was r chambe t lowes e Th • . purposes c domesti o t t no d an e defenc o t d devote . CASTLE K CAERLAVEROC F O T DEVELOPMEN E TH has provision for the mechanism which worked the portcullis and drawbridge. The first alteration on the castle of any importance was the pro- jection of the entrance and the provision of additional barriers. A o int A A- s reces e th s show h . 7whic , fig n i n give s i k forewor e th f o l detai which the drawbridge folded, the hole C for the cable which raised or r timbe e th f o s end e th s B- r Bfo hole t socke o tw , bridge e th d lowere stays from which the bridge depended, and the socket holes D for the bridge transom.

Fig. 6. Vaulted Ceilings, N.W. . Tower. Forework f o l Detai . 7 . Fig e th n withi d inserte n bee s ha l pane l armoria y seventeenth-centur A recess; the principal achievement is that of Robert Maxwell, first Earl of Nithsdale, while subsidiary shields at the corners bear respectively the Royal Arms, the arms of John, eighth Lord Maxwell, Earl of Morton, of Maxwell impaling Mar, and lastly of Stewart of Dalswinton. The back of the pend was subsequently contracted, and this alteration e th f o e middl e th t abou , floor t firs e th o t e entranc r late e th h wit s date defensivy foregoine entirel Th ee . additionsfifteentwer g t century h bu ; s It . curtain t wes e th t agains t buil s wa g lodgin a d perio e sam e th n i d demolishe s wa t i r fo , conjectured e b y onl n ca e appearanc d an t exten to make room for the present west wing in the sixteenth century. , 192211 R . E SOCIETYTH F O DECEMBE ,S PROCEEDING 38

- super , cap-house e th y centur h sixteent e th f o g beginnin e th t Abou structures, and chimneys were added, and a curious lofty rear-work was built at the back of the pend. This is supported on high piers spanned arcn a hy b surmounte littla y db e hous arce soffie (figth h , F)f Th 5 .o t . - construc e som t permi o t d chase e ar s ingoing d corbelle e th d an , slotted s i d corbelle y similarl s i e fac t eas r oute e Th . down d an p u e slid o t n tio and chased, perhaps for counterweights. While the rear-work adds e th o t t abutmen l usefu s afford t i , courtyard e th f o m char e th o t y greatl • lofty south wall of the gatehouse. Some little time after it, the present handsome lodging was built against the west curtain, which is two storeys in height and comprises on each floor a succession of elegant e mediaevawer e l ther f i s room c publi l cal t s "whicmigh e w h chamber precedent for the term. The fireplaces are particularly fine of their h beneat s base d an s capital d moulde d an s jamb d shafte g havin h eac , kind a massive lintel surmounted by a cornice. The windows to the court- mulliond ha e shav r floo r uppe e th n o e thos d an , size d goo f o e ar d yar and transoms. The only identification on this building is a skew-put wae s rang clea.rl s Thi y . saltira , Maxwell r efo charged d shiel a g bearin d moulde y beautifull y ver a r fo , adjoining r towe r stai e th o t r prio d erecte r doo e th ; tower e th y b d obscure s i ogivay d doorpiechea l slightl h ewit must have opened to the stair which served the second entrance to the . gatehouse e th f o r floo t firs The stair tower was built within the sixteenth century to give easier a are n ope e Th . wing t wes d an e gatehous f o s floor r uppe e th o t s acces between it and the curtain was ingeniously utilised by flooring it to form little galleries or balconies beneath a penthouse roof. During the e enlargedwer e e th , gatehous e th f o s window e th y centur h sixteent mid-partition was built and a niche to hold a " dressoir " for the display y subsequentl s wa t I . Hall e th f o d en s dai e th t a d forme s wa e plat f o . turnpike r late a o t r doo a s a t ou d slappe The final and largest addition was built by Robert Maxwell, the first - sixteenth e lat e th f o e sit e th n o y apparentl , Nithsdalef o 1638 l t Ear abou , century structures. It is a building of three storeys beneath the wall- head, and the accommodation comprises to the south the "New Hall" with drawing-roo easte , andth it ,greae o f t ,officem th of d t san staircase . On the upper floor a gallery, the " Long Hall," probably extended above s "myladie suite, en , contained g win t eas e th e whil " Hall, w "Ne e th h whic e staircas n mai e th o t n additio n I " dining-room. e th d an r Chambe a y b d continue e b o t t ascen t direc g leavin , only r floo t firs e th o t e ros s turnpike e handsom o tw e ar e ther , turnpike e servic e littl n mea r rathe at the north-eastern and south-western .angles of the range, which served all floors in transit.

. 1922 , 11 R DECEMBE , 0 4 PROCEEDINGSOCIETY E TH F O S e hav d an e handsom y ver e ar s fireplace y seventeenth-centur e Th moulded console-shaped jambs,—some of the gatehouse fireplaces have fleur-de-lye th f o e s occurrenc e th m Fro . pattern s thi n i d renewe n bee on the fireplace of the chamber next the main stair, the room has been l CommissioRoya e th f no y Secretar , Mackenzie . M . W r M y b d identifie on Ancient Monuments, as " My Ladies Chamber." Elizabeth Beaumont, e fleurs-de-lythre e bor n o s, Nithsdale f o l Ear t firs e th f o s Countes her shield. e exquisit t mos e th f o e on s i ) 8 . (fig n additio s facade Nithsdale' Th f eo d articulate y statel e th n i t no s i t I . us o t t lef s composition e Renaissanc Renaissance of Palladio and his followers, but its appeal is perhaps more subtle. The composition is admirably handled and most happily grouped. The setting of the turnpike windows, which form a terminal r thei m proclai s window e th d an , good y e facadeth particularl o s t i , purpose. Throughout, the architectural detail is most refined and d an d moulde e ar r floo d groun e th f o s architrave w windo e th ; dainty fluted and those above are furnished with little shafts; the pediments contain heraldic and allegorical carvings of considerable interest and aesthetie . som cvalue r o e sit s thi n o r eithe f Caerlaveroco d e stoo h castl t kwhic firs e Th e littl e 1356.n i Som d 2 raze , time d secon e th e adjacentr on fo , n o was L time after this destruction, between 1375 and 1410 to judge from the architectural details, the present castle was constructed; Fraser 3 infor"ms t statemen s hi d an , builder e th s wa ) (1373-1409 l Maxwel t Rober r Si t tha s u is apparently correct. The present west range may have been built by k wor e th y probabl e mor s i t bu , (1485-1513) l Maxwel d Lor h fourt , John d Lor o t s Caren Joh y report 3 159 n I . (1513-1546) r successo s hi t Rober f o y t fortificatioman s grea ha s d an nBurghlemake l t "Lorytha dMaxwel men working at his house 5 miles from Dumfries." While no indication

is given of the nature of the work then being executed4 , the date would quite well suit sundry remnants spared by Robert Maxwell, Earl of . century h seventeent y earl e th n i s wing w ne s hi g erectin n i , Nithsdale I am indebted to H.M. Stationery Office for the loan of blocks of figs. . 8 d an 3 , 2 , 1 1 Of. Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland: Seventh Report and Inventory, 33 (I. and II.). 2 BookScotichronicon,* Caerlaverock,. of 120 , 119 . . xv. xivpp .lib . cap .i 4 Calendar of Border Papers, \. p. 470.,