Historic Scotland Book Of Scottish Castles (historic Scotland)

The authoritative and engaging story of Scotland's Castles from the 12th to the 16th centuries, from mighty castles royal to tall storeys and poky dwellings. Despite their grand associations, Scottish castles were central to the lives of many Scots, of all social stations; castles were their work place, their place of worship, their army barracks, their law court, their prison, their hotel, their place of entertainment and even their place of execution. For that reason, author Chris Tabraham enthusiastically covers the rich history of these buildings, covering as much as anything the human aspect of the Scottish castle. The book covers: the physical nature of castles and their changing styles; the people who lived, worked, prayed and died in Scotland's castles; the military role of castles Hugely readable and richly illustrated, this book is for all those interested in Scotland's history. A study of the castles of Scotland from the 12th century, and the dramatic part that they and their inhabitants have played in Scottish history. The book uses historical, architectural, and literary sources, and provides information from field survey, archaeological excavation and tree-ring dating. Scotland's castles are the most frequented of all its ancient monuments. Chris Tabraham describes the history and the architecture of these ancient buildings and the contribution archaeology has made to our current understanding of them Chris Tabraham. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 137-138) And Index.