 It was also positioned on a set of natural basalt pillars, which – although inconvenient to build upon – would have enhanced its dramatic appearance and reflection in the meres.The design of the castle may also have alluded to Arthurian mythology, which were a popular set of ideals and beliefs among the English ruling classes at the time.Thomas appears to have had an interest in the Arthurian legends, and used the pseudonym "King Arthur" in his correspondence with the Scots.