Originally posted 9/6/16
Though our marriage is relatively young, Michael and I know each other pretty well. For the first five years of our marriage, we spent nearly 24 hours a day, 7 days a week together. We lived together (of course), ate 3 meals a day together, walked together, went to church together, and worked together in the basement of our house. We talk about everything, from theology to the children to politics to work to the future to the past and to activities of our day (which we have just spent together).
So, we know each other inside and out. Yet there remain some mysteries. Like why Michael doesn't like to do home maintenance. Little or small, Michael thinks home maintenance activities are ridiculous. It could be vacuuming, toilet cleaning, roof replacement, lawn mowing, deck repair, painting, and - especially - blowing leaves. Michael will engage in none of it. I've never understood it, until we pulled up to Caerlaverock Castle, the home of the Maxwells, Michael's Scottish ancestors, outside of Dumfries, Scotland. And all of a sudden, it all made sense.
The South wall of the castle was pulled down almost 400 years ago and never repaired.
I mean, it was like the Scottish clouds parted and the sun shone down and enlightened me as I had never been enlightened before. Just one look at the castle, and I said to Michael:
"No wonder you don't like to do home maintenance!"
Michael laughed heartily, and agreed, and I believe he now feels vindicated in his lack of motivational maintenance. And I have a fuller understanding of my husband's DNA and his inability to engage in home maintenance activities.
And then we found out that the original castle, first built about 200 yards away, closer to the Irish Sea, was abandoned on account of the persistent flooding experience by its proximity to the sea! We, too, if you'll remember, had to abandon our home due to flooding.
Site of the first castle, at right. It was fairly small.
And then, we discovered that, during one of the many renovations, fashionable decor was added to the castle's interior, including fleur-de-lis, a symbol of the French monarchy likely indicative of their Catholic sympathies with the French. In America, today, it's mostly a decorative motif, but it also happens to be featured in several stained glass windows in our Tennessee home.
A fleur-de-lis panel from the castle, left.
And then we found out that the symmetry of the three-sided castle was very important to the Maxwells. Michael and his father both have an affinity for symmetry, something Michael often corrects in furniture placement and the arrangement of objects d'art in the home, specifically mentioning that things must be symmetrical to his eye, or else he is bothered by them.
He was so pleased to learn of the Maxwell deference for symmetry, below.
Though the castle has lacked a roof or a south wall for more than 350 years, it is in remarkable shape, and still retains it original moat, which you can see in the picture above. The drawbridge has been replaced by a wooden foot bridge, and the wood floors that went three stories high are now open to the sky from the ground floor, you can still get a remarkable picture of life in the 13th, 14th and 15th century here.
There were fireplaces in every room, of course, right.
The castle was a place of defense, as it is close to the border of England, and sits close to the Irish Sea. The new castle, built in the 13th century (seriously, they use the word "new" associated with this castle), was a triangle built to fit the bedrock upon which it rises, and takes advantage of an underground spring to feed both the moat and the kitchen with fresh water. As soon as it was built, it was attacked by Edward I, who nearly destroyed it. The Scottish were seeking independence, and Britain was not complying. Edward himself brought 3000 troops to take the castle; the Maxwells held out for a couple of days, and when the 60 men marched out of the castle to surrender, their small number surprised their captors. Edward hung a few of them, and gave the rest new robes and let them go.
We found the kitchen complete with indoor water (the well to the left) and a fire place complete with oven (you can't quite see it behind me.) The oven would be important because each resident of the castle (60 or more) would have eaten 2 loaves of bread a day.
Subsequent generations renovated and repaired it, and, as defense became less important, the Maxwells began to entertain here quite a bit, and so built out the inner courtyard in the 17th century as the Nithsdale Lodging, where guests could stay.
That's the lodge, to the left. Michael's in the middle of the courtyard. You can see the south wall is missing. Mmmmmm. Maintenance.
So, the castle became a place of hospitality. Each room had a fire place, and some were even en-suite, which means they had a potty in the bedroom! Very modern. And, again, very much like the Cannon house. In both our homes we've had guest quarters we like to keep filled and a kitchen that makes lots of bread.
But, as soon as the lodging was finished, and they thought they were in the clear, the Covenenters attacked. They were nationalist protestants who likely did not take kindly to the Catholic Maxwells, and so took siege and roped the west turret and brought it down. After that, the Maxwells finally gave up, abandoned the castle, and moved further inland, to a small country house outside Glasgow.
When a strong man, fully armed, guards his castle, his property is safe. But when one stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his plunder. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. Luke 11: 21-23
The Maxwells guarded their castle for centuries. They were strong and faithful in their stone castle complete with chapel. They fought for what they believed in - God and country - and defended it until they could maintain it no more.
Our lives are not quite as dramatic these days. But we have defended against natural and man-made attacks on our family. In Greenville we survived floods and other home maintenance issues, as well as religious persecution (while being gracious hosts with en-suite accommodations), and have now fled for a time to the mountains, to a place where we can begin a new life.
No matter the physical or psychological challenges have changed one thing: our life together with God. We are with God, and we will not scatter. Sometimes we feel scattered, as I do a little right now, preparing to leave Michael with the Maxwell remnants in the UK for a few weeks. But we are together, with God, me, Michael, and the Maxwells, always.
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