Essays

The essays in this section are intended to give the reader a better understanding of the castles and ruins featured on this site.

These essays were first printed in TAPA, the now defunct Toronto Amateur Press Association zine, in a slightly different form from 1993 to 1994.

Castles

Caerlaverock Castle - a shield-shaped castle on the Scottish borders.
Dirleton Castle - a stereotypical, crag-topped castle an hour west of Edinburgh.
Huntly Castle - an aristocrat's fortified home in a style typical of Scotland.
Tantallon Castle - a unique five-storey castle an hour west of Edinburgh.
Urquhart Castle - the famous castle that sits on Loch Ness.

Ruins

A Weekend in Orkney - a description of what I saw in a weekend trip to Orkney.

Other Essays

Castles and Siege Warfare - a brief explanation on the purpose of castles and the conduct of siege warfare.