The apartments of the Palace were formerly noble alike in their dimensions and decorations. Part of the lower flat of the northern side was occupied by a hall or chamber of presence, the walls and ceiling of which, previously to 1777, were adorned by a multitude of figures, carved on oak, in low relief, and supposed, with much probability, to represent the persons of the king, his family, and his courtiers. The walls were stripped of these most beautiful and most interesting ornaments in 1777, in consequence of one having fallen down and struck a castle soldier, who was passing at the time. Fortunately, at the very juncture when they were about to be condemned for fire-wood, an individual of taste observed a little girl going along the castle-hill with one in her hand, which she was carrying towards the town. Having secured possession of it for a trifle, the individual mentioned, immediately busied himself to collect and preserve as many of the rest as yet remained. Strange to say, this person was no other than the keeper of the jail of Stirling; and it was to that house of care that he carried the beautiful carvings which he had rescued. They were kept there for upwards of forty years, when, having attracted the attention of the lady of General Graham, deputy-governor of the castle, drawings, not only of these, but of others, which had found their way into the possession of Henry Cockburn, Esq., advocate, and other individuals, were made by her and an artist of the name of Blore, and then given to the world, in a series of masterly engravings, published by Mr Blackwood of Edinburgh, in an elegant volume, entitled, _Lacunar Strevilinense_. Those which were in the jail of Stirling have now been transferred to the justiciary court-room, adjacent to it; but they have been much disfigured by the paint with which the civic taste has covered them. The lofty hall which they formerly adorned is now, alas! a mere barrack for private soldiers; but it is yet designated by the title of _The King’s Room_.