116 Excavations at Kirkcudbright Castle. 



30th January, 1914. 



Chairman— Mr S. Arnott, F.R.H.S., V.-P. 



Further Excavations at the King's Castle, 

 Kirkcudbright. 



By Joseph Robison. 



When I had the honour, last year, of reading a paper 

 to the members of this Society on the results of the excava- 

 tions at the site of the King's Castle of Kirkcudbright, the 

 operations had brought to light the east and north towers, 

 with the portcullis gateway between, a smaller tower to the 

 rear of the north tower, and a large section of the curtain 

 wall on the west. The east tower was excavated on the 

 inside, as was also the inside of the north tower, 

 enabling us to get accurate measurements, and many 

 interesting discoveries were made. The excavations- 

 were resumed in the month of September of last year, 

 and it is the result of these operations that your cour- 

 teous secretary, Mr Shirley, has done me the honour of asking 

 to lay before you. A start was made with the continuation 

 of the western curtain wall, which was found to be entire with, 

 the exception of one break ten feet wide, which turned out 

 afterwards to have a significant bearing on the extent of the 

 west tower. The contour of this mound was carefully noted 

 before the ground was cut into, but before dealing with this, 

 point it will be better to give details as to the western curtain 

 wall. This wall was found to be 8 ft. 6 in. wide. It termi- 

 nated at a narrow point, and working round this was found 

 the north wall of a passage, which again terminated at the 

 inside of the curtain wall. Working across the front of the 

 passage, the south wall was found, the passage proving to be- 

 5 feet wide, and here a most interesting discovery was made,, 

 which was the finding of the bolt of the door which had stood 

 there. It was in a very good state of preservation. The 

 line was continued, and it was found that the southern curtain' 

 wall also tapered off to a comparatively narrow point. This 

 curtain wall was excavated on the outside, and was found to- 



