OLD THIRLESTANE CASTLE AND CONVENT 289 



The general thickness of the walls is S^ feet. The greater 

 part of the wall in the main building has been removed. 

 A huge fragment of masonry, which had formed the south- 

 east corner, has been undermined, and has fallen outwards, 

 where it rests — a solid mass. 



The greater part of the enclosing mounds around the 

 Tower have not the character of fortifications. They have 

 more the appearance of cattle enclosures, and were probably 

 formed when the Tower had ceased to be used as a fortress- 

 The heavy mound to the north-west of the Tower appears 

 to be part of the original outer court wall, and a ditch-like 

 line of track or hollow way runs down against this wall 

 from the north-west, turns round the outer angle of the 

 mound, and follows round to the gateway. 



About 170 yards north-east from the Tower, on the verge 

 of the slope of the ravine formed by a small stream, there 

 are the foundations of a circular building, about 24 feet in 

 diameter, the under side of which has slidden down the 

 steep bank. These are probably the foundations of a circular 

 tower, placed so as to command the ravine and prevent its 

 being used by enemies as a covered way. Below there are 

 the remains of a roadway of ancient type, ascending from 

 the river below by the sides of the ravine. The line of 

 this is marked on the plan. 



hi' 



