Engraving of Lochleven Castle & island showing four centre towers & surrounding walls. Titled 'Engraved by J. Storer for the Antiquarian & Topographical Cabinet from a picture by Ibbotson in the posse ...

Description Engraving of Lochleven Castle & island showing four centre towers & surrounding walls. Titled 'Engraved by J. Storer for the Antiquarian & Topographical Cabinet from a picture by Ibbotson in the possession of Mr Thomas Carpenter. Loch-Leven Castle, Kinross-shire. The Castle of Loch-leven stands towards the north-west part of the lake, on an island about an acre and three quarters in extent, and is encompassed with a rampart of stone, nearly of a quadrangle form. The principal tower, a kind of square building, stands upon the north wall, very near the north-west corner, and there is a lesser round one at the south-east. The other appartments were arranged along the noth wall, between the tower and the north-east corner. A kitchen, suppose to have been built later than the rest of the Castle, stood on the west wall near the south-west corner; and another building supposed to have been the chapel, between that and the great tower fronting the south. In the lower part of the square tower is a dungeon, with a well in it. Above the dungeon is a vaulted room, which, from the appearance of the effects of smoke on the jambs of the chimney, seems to have been used as a kitchen. No date or inscription appears on any part of the buildings, excepting only the letters R.D. and M.E. probably the initials of Sir Robert Douglass and Margaret Erskine, his wife. The whole circuit of the rampart is 585 feet. It is generally understood that the roof was taken off the Castle about a century ago; some part of which, particularly that of the round tower, is said to have been repaired by Sir William Bruce. In this place the unfortunate Mary, Queen of Scots was kept a close prisoner, and suffered from the 16th June 1567 to the 2nd May 1568, all the rigour and miseries of captivity.'

Date c. 1807

Collection General Collection

Catalogue Number RAB 292/211

Category Print Room

Copies DP 096421

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/collection/1128248