Immediately after passing the last gate-way, which was formerly defended by a port-cullis, a battery, called the _Over_, or _Upper Port Battery_, is found to extend to the right hand, overlooking the beautiful plain through which the river takes its winding course, as also the distant Highlands, and a multiplicity of other objects. The ground on this side of the castle is not precipitous, but gradually descends, in a series of rocky eminences called the Gowlan or Gowan hills, towards the bridge. On the ridge of the nearest hillock, the remains of a low rampart are still to be seen, extending in a line exactly parallel with the battery. These are the vestigia of the works which Prince Charles caused to be erected against the castle, in 1746. The situation, as may be easily conceived by the spectator, was very unfortunate. The castle, as we are informed in a print of the time, overlooked the besiegers so completely, that the garrison could see them down to the very buckles of their shoes. Accordingly, they were able to kill a great number of their Celtic assailants. The Prince made no impression whatever on the fortress. Between the castle walls and the Highland battery, a road may be seen leading down the hill towards the village of Raploch. This is called the Ballangeigh road, from two words, signifying the windy pass. At the same time, a low browed archway, passing out of the court-yard, near the Parliament House, and which formerly was connected with a large gateway through the exterior wall, is called the Ballangeigh Entry. According to many distinct traditionary stories, (6) it was the custom of King James Fifth to travel in disguise among his subjects, under the title of the Gudeman of Ballangeigh, assuming a name from this minute part of his property, upon the same fashion, I presume, with that which still makes the Earl of Morton popularly known as the Gudeman of Aberdour, and the Duke of Gordon as Gudeman of the Bog. At the bottom of the Ballangeigh road, adjacent to the village of Raploch, there is a house (lately rebuilt) and a small triangular park (now partly intersected by the road leading from the village to the bridge), which James V. gave by letters under his signet, to one John Adamson and his wife, for the service of ‘keeping the washers’ tubs, and setting furms, binks, and other plautery for the washers, and drying of their clothes;’ in other words, for the service, of taking care of the tubs, and providing all necessary articles for the washers of the King, while washing and dressing his Majesty’s clothes at the Raploch Burn. Mary of Guise, the widow of James, confirmed this grant by a charter, granted by her to the descendents of Adamson and his wife, at her Castle of Stirling in 1550, for the additional service of ‘the daily prayers to be said by them for umquhill our deceist spouse, the Kingis grace, and us.’ James VI. again confirmed it by a charter, granted by him, at his Castle of Stirling in 1594.