Gazetteer of Scotland

INTRODUCTION. xxxvii
country of the Picts consisted of the eastern division of Caledonia, being
separated from Alba, the western division, inhabited by the Scots, by
the chain of mountains which extends nearly from Tain to Dumbarton,
Both Abernethy and Brechin lie on the eastern side, and the former is
mentioned by Buchanan as the capital of the Picts.*
It is highly probable that square towers, built with cement, succeed-
ed the conical ones. The most ancient of these are generally to be
met with on projecting cliffs, overhanging the sea, and were perhaps
intended to repel the invasions of the freebooters of Denmark and Nor-
way. They seem to be but a small improvement upon the conical
ones before mentioned. The walls are enormously thick, and contain
small chambers, with narrow stairs of communication between the lower
and upper apartments, which are lighted by windows looking into the
square area or middle of the tower. Oldwick Castle, on the coast of
Caithness, is a square tower which answers this description, and is per-
haps one of the oldest of this kind in Scotland.
An improvement in the construction of square towers next took place :
the inner area was covered with a strong vaulted roof of stone. These
kind of buildings were called in Scotland Peels, and in England keeps or
dungeons. Many specimens still remain in Scotland, such as Dunstaff-
nage in Argyll, Dunnoby in Lorn, Rothsay in Bute, Dunvegan in Sky,
^cc. Several of these very ancient towers were built upon islands in
deep lakes, such as Elanstalker in Loch Linnhe, Kilchurn in Loch Ow ?
the castle of Rive in Galloway, Lochmaben in^Annandale, and Close-
burn in Nithsdale, It is highly probable that the Caledonians learned
from the Romans the art of constructing vaulted chambers. This im-
provement must no doubt have had a wonderful change in the com-
fort as well as the stability' of their strongholds and fortresses. If a
conjecture may be allowed, it is probable that the castle of Dunstaff-
nage was the first that underwent this material alteration, being supposed
to have been the chief residence of the Scotish king3, from the period
that Dun Dornadilla was deserted by them, until the capture of Srone
from the Picts, which then became their favourite residence.
The repeated invasions of the Danes gave rise to many camps and
forts, some of which are still to be seen in the northern counties. Of the
Saxon and Norman invasions, some rude memorials still remain on the
shores of Scotland.
The Scotish Obelisks are probably of great antiquity. The pillar at
Forres, in Morayshire, is, on account of its size, one of the most remark-
able, and is probably among the most ancient in North Britain. That at
Sandwick in Ross-shire is one of the most splendid. St. Andrew and
the cross evidently evince its origin to be Scotish.
* Hist. lib. 1. Qua larnam contingit, est Abrer.cthiam, vetus Picto-
jfum regis;. Hie in Taum infiuit Ierua.