Continued entries/extra info

[Page] 8
Parish of Flisk

[Continued from Page 7]
but the probability is and this is strengthened by the appearance of the ruins that it was not erected all at one time. The oldest portion appears to be that which forms the western side of the parallelogram and the southern side although much dilapidated to be the most recent. From the beauty of the ashlar work of the walls remaining it is not likely that any portion is as ancient as the time when the barony was acquired by Sir Andrew de Lesly yet the oldest portion cannot be much more recent. The only conjecture as to the erection of any portion of the building which we have been able to form is drawn from the date and initials on an iron plate in the possession of the Revd [Reverend] Mr. Thomson Balmerino and which formed the door plate on the entrance to the castle. The initials are A.E.R. Andrew Earl of Rothes and the date is 1572. This was Andrew fifth Earl of Rothes second son of George the fourth Earl and who succeeded to the earldom on the death of his father in consequence of the forfeiture of his elder brother Norman Master of Rothes for his connection with the murder of Cardinal Bethune. Although a considerable portion of the castle is of a much older date than the period of this Earl it is most probable that he made large additions to it about the period of the date on the door plate. Leighton's Hist. vol. [History volume] 2 p. [page] 143.