| The Great Hall
| The Great
Hall, used as a meeting, living, wedding and banquet room,
would have originally been plastered and painted with murals
in vivid prime colours, depicting historical, religious
and heraldic themes. Around the walls at ceiling level are
some fine examples of stone carved corbels, bearing arms
of families connected with the Murrays through intermarriage.
Above the fireplace is an early 15th century royal coat
of arms. All these carvings were at one time highlighted
with coloured paint.
The western side of the hall is dominated by the huge open
fireplace. An original lintel |
|
| (long since gone), was replaced by a wooden
beam unequal in length, propped up on one end by a carved
pillar. |
Above the lintel is a unique carved 11th century
overmantle depicting various plants and heads emanating from a
dragon's breath, believed to depict the ancient Celtic legend
of the green man, or god of spring. To the right of the fire is
a small dressing room where the laird would have changed into
a variety of outfits, to entertain a constant stream of business
delegations and social guests.
The hall is lit by high window recesses, positioned
to catch the rising and setting sun through the coloured glass
panels set within. Leading off the hall are three alcoves, which
would have been screened by hangings or tapestries to accord some
privacy for those members of the lairds family not directly involved
in the activities conducted within the Great Hall.
The original flagstone floor would have been
covered in woven reed mats, these in turn would be almost buried
under dried flowers and herbs, producing a giant pot pourri effect.
However, due to the extreme fire risk presented by the tinder
box dry floor coverings, illumination through traditional tallow
candles was a potentially hazardous affair. Consequently most
of the castle's light came from the huge fireplaces, which would
have given off far more heat than required and so were designed
to be expelled from the building up the huge chimney, radiating
through the stone work to centrally heat the upper levels.
To the left of the fire, on the south wall
is an elaborate sideboard or aumbry grooved for shelves. Made
from carved arched stone window surrounds, they appear to have
been reclaimed from an earlier religious structure. An aumbry
(originally almry, a place for alms) such as this was fairly common
in Scottish tower houses and would have been used to hold sacred
vessels for the mass, but later for the safe keeping of valuables
or as buffets for display of stacking plate or pewter.
An aumbry was always conveniently placed near
the fireplace at the end of the high table. At the opposite end
of the fireplace is a small hatch, or servery, which conceals
the kitchen area. When the castle was first constructed, the cooking
area would have been screened by a painted wooden wall, then this
was replaced by a stone wall filling the archway. At a later date
its function evolved to one of merely reheating food for serving,
as the kitchen had been relocated in the castle courtyard.
The room adjacent to the kitchen was a waiting
room or "withdrawing room" where servants would retire
between courses to keep out of sight of the laird's guests. Immediately
entering the Great Hall, a chamber leads off to the right. Down
a series of winding steps is the guard room, pledge chamber and
pit, all contained within 13 feet thick walls. Set in the guard
room is a small hatch measuring 2 feet by 2 feet allowing access
to the dismal pit, 18 feet by 5 feet and some 11 feet deep. This
hatch was covered by a series of wooden doors, packed with wool
or leather, so designed as to make the only entrance soundproof
and virtually airtight. This pit was used for the intimidation
of prisoners awaiting the eventual payment of ransom, part of
the darker side of castle life.
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