Fireplace in Crookston Castle

Image: © Lairich Rig Taken: 9 Dec 2005

See the main item: Image The fireplace shown here is in one of the upper floors of the castle, and is described by an accompanying plaque (which is visible to the right of the fireplace); it reads: "Fireplace - this warmed the high table end of the hall, where the Stewarts and their important guests sat. To the left you can see the outline of two shields which would have borne the coats of arms of the Stewarts of Darnley and one of their wives. This important part of the hall was lit by two high windows." As is obvious in a much wider view (Image), the hall is now entirely roofless. In the present picture, it is lit only by an overcast sky. The shields mentioned on the plaque are rather small, but are visible in this image as two faint heart-like shapes incised on a large stone which is the fifth up from the floor, immediately to the left of the opening of the fireplace. In the left-hand side of the image, another small plaque is visible through the doorway. It stands beside what is now a tall narrow window-like opening with a metal grill on it, and reads, in part: "These lockable cupboards provided secure storage for valuables in the days before banks."

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