Crai^niillar and its Environs. 



\3A 



Shot Holes 

 IN Parapet. 



at the east end. Besides these there is a rebus on 

 the name " Pres-tun," and on the parapets of the 

 ^ — ^ east and north curtain are holes 

 which form the centre of letters — 

 those to the north being the letters 

 " P " for Preston and " G " prob- 

 ably for Gorton, the family being 

 sometimes styled " of Craigmillar," 



SHOT HOLES 



sometimes " of Gourton." ^ The '"^ parapet. 

 letter on the east parapet may be either a '< P " 

 or an " R." In a large stone built into this curtain 

 the letter " S " is pierced. It evidently stands for 

 Symon Preston, the well known Provost of Edin- 

 burgh, and friend of Queen Mary. On the outside 

 of the north curtain is a large projecting stone basin 

 about five feet above the ground, and having a stone 

 pipe led through the wall into the north-east corner 

 of the courtyard for passing in a supplementary 

 water supply to the castle. 



We gather from these records of bygone da3's 

 a lesson not merely instructive to the antiquarian, 

 ' Gorton stands on the South Esk, Mid-Lothian. 



