History and traditions of the land of the Lindsays in Angus and Mearns

236 LAND OF THE LINDSAYS.
Earl of Crawford, and his marriage with the daughter of King
Robert the Second : —
" THIS • HONORIS ■ SINGE
AND * FIGVRIT ' TROPHE ' BOR
SVLD • PVSE * ASPYRING ■ SPRE
ITIS • AND ' MARTIAL ■ MTND"
TO ' THRVST • YAIR ■ FORTVNE
FWRTH • & * IN • HIR - SCORN E
BELEIVE ' IN ' FAITHE
OVR * FAIT • GOD ' HES ■ ASSINGD"
Three of the bed-rooms contain respectively the Gowrie, Had-
dington, and Balthyock arms, the first of which has robed and
mailed figures on each side. Instead of armorial insignia, another
bed-room contains a vigorous carving of a Highlander play-
ing on the bag-pipes ; while a fifth presents the figures of two
peasants dressed in short tunics, each bearing a flail, with sheaves
of corn, rakes, and forks beside them.
Such is a brief epitome of the history of the castle of Cares-
ton and its sculptures, to which could have been added, until the
year 1843, the armorial bearings of the Carnegys, which scaled
off and fell to pieces at that time,* and it need scarcely be said that
both externally and internally, evidences of dilapidation meet the
eye at all comers. It is true that the fine walk which leads
from the castle to the church has still much of the beauty it had
of old ; but the grove, from the north gate by Waterston, which
was guarded on both sides by spreading trees, whose branches
united like the roof of a vaulted chamber, is now a coarse and
uninviting thoroughfare ; and though many of the large trees in
the neighboui'hood of the castle (which are said to have been
planted while the lands were in possession of the Grandtully
family) were pleasing accessories to the old baronial mansion,
they, together with the large plantation which stretched along
the turnpike, are nearly gone, and without something be done
to rescue the mansion from destruction, it will soon become
a total ruin.
The principal traditions of Careston are those concerning
Jock Barefoot, already noticed, and a White Lady, who was wont
Thcsoare said to have been thus impaled :— "Ermine, three bars, gules, each charged
with a round buckle, or," with the mottos, "dked god," and "be it fast."