St. Margaret and yetts

["Katherine Kurtz" <kkurtz@iol.ie>]

Dear Laurel in Portland,

A yett is a gate; so they took her out the west gate.  Moreover, it's
a particular kind of iron gate in Scotland, with the vertical and
horizontal components not only interwoven in the way we'd ordinarily
think, but the bars themselves are pierced so that the crossing bars
actually go through.  It's an incredibly strong construction, but
difficult to explain in words.  Suggest you have a look at a reference
on Scottish architecture.  Or maybe McGibbon and Ross, on Scottish
castles.

Regards,
Katherine

 > When Margaret died, she was wrapped in a shroud and prepared to be
taken to
> her church of the Holy Trinity.  Much secrecy was kept because
Donald Bane
> was about to take over the castle and throne.  She was taken out of
her
> private chamber, out of the west yett (what does that mean?) and
down the
> steep west face of the Castle Rock. by abbot Ethelred of Dunkeld and
her
> third son, Edgar to Dunfermline

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