A rare glimpse

Not a great photo, but it's difficult to take a clear photograph of this lovely doorway when you are in a small intra-mural passage measuring around 3metres by 1metre within a wall thats around 3metres thick!

Mingary Castle is so important because the curtain wall has been so little altered since the 13th century. When it was first built, access to the upper floor of the castle was achieved through a staircase within the walls, but as the interior of the castle was altered, this became obsolete and was filled with masonry to further strengthen the wall with the advent of cannon.

This little chamber was the top of the stair and survived the masonry blocking to provide access to a window.

LH spent most of the day digging (and cursing) in a well, but took the opportunity to go up the new scaffold, climb some ladders and inspect this wee chamber. The chamfered, white sandstone surround for this door was a nice suprise and may be 13th century.

LH is probably one of a handful of people to have been in here in hundreds of years and quite possibly the only living person. Quite exciting for a castle/scottish history geek.