Fabric Recording

Date September 2008 - March 2009

Event ID 608704

Category Recording

Type Fabric Recording

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/608704

NO 16982 11536 (NO11SE 8) This collection of c150 pieces of late medieval stones is stored in the basement of the tower and was assessed during September 2008–March 2009. Many of the stones are substantial, and come from the parapet wall of the tower. They comprise both curved and straight blocks, forming the upper courses of a crenellated parapet. The upper sections of this wall have been removed, probably during restoration work in the 1980s. However, illustrations in D MacGibbon and T Ross, The Castellated and Domestic

Architecture of Scotland (1887–92), vol 1, 338–311, figs 290–292, show that at that date the tower still had crenellations around the upper section of the wall and the corner turrets.

Another stone, also removed in the 1980s restoration, is a saddle-stone from a saddle and trough wall-walk. It is presently in a wooden frame, so various details are obscured. However, photographs of the wall-walk, taken during the 1980s restoration, show the stone in situ. From this, it is clear that the carving on the upper/outer face of the stone existed before it was used in the wall-walk. The panel of incised decoration occurs across one end of the stone, and this section adjoins a larger, undecorated area which is worked to form an inverted V-shape. The panel is incised with four vertical rows of a leaf scroll. The whole design appears to be incomplete, and it is possible that it would originally have continued across the full length of the stone, and was lost when it was re-used in the wall-walk.

This and other inventories of carved stones at Historic Scotland’s properties in care are held by Historic Scotland’s Collections Unit. For further information please contact hs.collections@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Funder: Historic Scotland

Mary Márkus – Archetype