Huntingtower Castle

Huntingtower Castle once known as Ruthven Castle or the Place [Palace] of Ruthven is located near the village of Huntingtower beside the A85 and near the A9, about 5km NW of the centre of Perth, Perth and Kinross, in central Scotland, on the main road to Crieff.

History

Huntingtower Castle was built in stages from the 15th century by the Clan Ruthven family and was known for several hundred years as the 'House (or 'Place') of Ruthven'. In the summer of 1582, the castle was occupied by the 4th Lord Ruthven, who was also the 1st Earl of Gowrie, and his family. Gowrie was involved in a plot to kidnap the young King James VI, son of Mary, Queen of Scots. During 1582 Gowrie and his associates seized the young king and held him prisoner for 10 months. This kidnapping is known as the 'Raid of Ruthven' and the Protestant conspirators behind it hoped to gain power through controlling the king. James eventually escaped and actually forgave Gowrie, but after a second abortive attempt by Gowrie and others to overthrow him, Gowrie was finally executed and his property (including Huntingtower) was forfeited to the crown.

The Castle and lands were restored to the Ruthven family in 1586. However in 1600, the brothers John and Alexander Ruthven were implicated in another plot to kill King James VI and were executed. This time, the king was less merciful: as well as seizing the estates, he abolished the name of Ruthven and decreed that any successors would be ineligible to hold titles or lands. Thus the House of Ruthven ceased to exist and by royal proclamation the castle was renamed Huntingtower. The Castle remained in the possession of the crown until 1643 when it was given to the family of Murray of Tullibardine (from whom the Dukes of Atholl and Mansfield are descended).

During the later occupation of John Murray, 1st Duke of Atholl, the Castle began to be neglected and after his wife died (1767), it was abandoned as a place of residence except by farm labourers. Today, the Castle can be visited by the public and is sometimes used as a venue for marriage ceremonies. It is in the care of Historic Scotland (open all year; entrance charge).

Architecture

The original 'Huntingtower' (now known as the 'Eastern Tower') was a free-standing building, constructed primarily as a gatehouse. It consists of three storeys and a garret under the roof. Around the end of the 15th century a second tower (the 'Western Tower') was built alongside the Huntingtower, with a gap of about 3 metres between them. This second tower was L-shaped in plan and was connected to the Huntingtower by a wooden bridge below the level of the battlements. It is thought that this construction was for defensive reasons: if one tower was attacked and taken, residents could flee into the second and draw up the bridge between the two. The space between the two towers was built in the late 17th century resulting in the Castle as it stands today. At the same time the number and size of windows was greatly increased, particularly in the Western Tower.

A great hall was built against the north side of the Western Tower in the 16th century, but nothing remains of it above ground except a raggle showing the position of the roof against the Tower. The defensive walls that originally enclosed the Castle (and probably other vanished subsidiary buildings) have also been removed.

Among the features of interest at Huntingtower are early 16th century paintings which survive on the first floor of the Eastern Tower. These include fragmentary wall paintings showing flowers, animals and Biblical scenes, and a largely complete decorative scheme on the wooden ceiling. Among the designs are grotesque animals (including a version of the green man) on the main beams, and Renaissance-style knotwork patterns on the overlying planks. This painted ceiling is believed to be the earliest of its kind to survive substantially in Scotland. Minor fragments of wall-paintings also survive in the Western Tower.

Lady Greensleeves and other legends

Huntingtower is said to be haunted by "Lady Greensleeves", a young woman named Dorothea who was the daughter of the 1st Earl of Gowrie. The legend states that she was in love with a servant at the castle and that the two used to have clandestine meetings at night in the eastern tower, where the servants slept. One night the girl's mother, the Countess, is supposed to have discovered what was going on and made her way across the bridge from the family's quarters in the western tower to the eastern tower to catch the pair. Dorothea heard her mother's footsteps on the bridge and, unable to return to the other tower by that route, made her way to the roof. Here she leapt from the tower to land safely on the battlements of the western tower and so return to bed where she was discovered by her mother. The distance between the towers was several metres and thus she accomplished quite a feat in leaping the distance. The following day the girl and her lover eloped and no records exist to tell us what happened to them.

A number of sightings of the figure of a tall young woman in a green silk dress have been seen in and around Huntingtower over the years, usually at dusk but sometimes in full daylight. Her appearance is said to be an ill omen and a forewarning of some disaster to come. A traveller staying at Huntingtower in the 1930s is reported to have seen Lady Greensleeves in a corridor of the castle. The following day he resumed his journey to Fife and was drowned when he fell from the ferry taking him across the River Tay.

A second Huntingtower legend concerns a well which is beside the road leading to the castle. The water from this well is meant to have the power to heal, but those who go to collect it must do so in silence: any word spoken on the outward or return journey renders the water useless. Those who go to fetch water are also supposed to leave a small token behind at the well, such as a coin or charm. The well is still in good condition and to this day runs clear.

References

  • Tales and Traditions of Scottish Castles, Nigel Tranter, Neil Wilson Publishing Ltd.
  • Castles and Tower Houses of the Scottish Clans 1450-1650, Stuart Reid, Osprey
  • Scottish Hauntings, Grant Campbell, Piccolo

Notable persons

George Turnbull was brought up nearby. He was the Chief Engineer building the first railway from Calcutta (the then commercial capital of India): 541 miles to Benares en route to Delhi.

External links

Listed in the following categories:
Post a comment
Tips & Hints
Arrange By:
MaryQueenofScots.net
22 April 2014
In May 1600, James claimed that the Earl of Gowrie and his brother, the Master of Ruthven, had attempted to assassinate him here. Both were killed but an attempt by them to kill the King is unlikely.
MaryQueenofScots.net
22 April 2014
This was originally known as Ruthven Castle and James VI was brought here after being kidnapped by the Protestant Lords to remove him from the control of his favourite, Esme Stuart, Duke of Lennox.
Jeff Sladden
20 May 2014
It's creepy at night and also closed
Diego Mestre
27 July 2013
No es precisamente el mejor castillo de Escocia
Load more comments
foursquare.com
6.4/10
3,581 people have been here
Map
7 Castle Brae, Perth, Perth and Kinross PH1 3JN, UK Get directions

Huntingtower Castle on Foursquare

Huntingtower Castle on Facebook

Hotels nearby

See all hotels See all
The Townhouse

starting $131

The Parklands Hotel

starting $107

Salutation Hotel

starting $126

New County Hotel

starting $73

Premier Inn Perth City Centre

starting $64

Mercure Perth Hotel

starting $116

Recommended sights nearby

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Balhousie Castle

Balhousie Castle, located in Perth, Scotland (on Hay Street,

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Scone Palace

Scone Palace is a Category A listed historic house and 5 star tourism

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Perth Bridge

Perth Bridge (also known as Smeaton's Bridge and, locally, the Old

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Methven Castle

Methven Castle is a 17th-century house situated east of Methven, in

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Friarton Bridge

The Friarton Bridge is a road bridge across the Firth of Tay on the

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Kinfauns Castle

Kinfauns Castle was designed by Robert Smirke and built between

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Elcho Castle

Elcho Castle is located a short distance above the south bank of the

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
River Tay

The River Tay (Gaelic: Tatha) originates in the Highlands and flows

Similar tourist attractions

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Neuschwanstein Castle

Neuschwanstein Castle (German: Schloss Neuschwanstein, pronounced ])

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Tower of London

Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Château de Vincennes

The Château de Vincennes is a massive 14th and 17th century French

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Old Westbury Gardens

Old Westbury Gardens is the former estate of John Shaffer Phipps

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Arundel Castle

Arundel Castle in Arundel, West Sussex, England is a restored medieval

See all similar places