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Huntingtower Castle
Huntingtower Castle, once known as Ruthven Castle or the Place of Ruthven, is located near the village of Huntingtower beside the A85 and near the A9, about 5 km NW of the centre of Perth, Perth and Kinross, in central Scotland, on the main road to Crieff. This castle is the subject for several local ghostlore stories.
Huntingtower Castle was built at least by the 14th century as it was one of the castles owned by the Lords of Badenoch. Alexander Stewart, Earl of Buchan, called the Wolf of Badenoch for his misdeeds, died there in 1394.
Later, in the 15th century the castle was claimed by the Huntly family,[citation needed] or by the Clan Ruthven family. It was known for several hundred years as the 'House (or 'Place') of Ruthven' or 'Ruthven Castle', or simply 'Ryffane', until the family was forfeited for the Gowrie Conspiracy in 1600 and the Ruthven name was suppressed by Act of Parliament. As contemporary writers reported, the "prinsipall howse callyd Ryven is now callyd the Huntynge towre" and, "the House of Riven to be called Hunt towre". The Ruthvens also had a substantial townhouse in nearby Perth, called Gowrie House.
Mary, Queen of Scots visited on 25 June and 16 September 1565. Regent Morton made a progress in Fife in September 1575, and while he was at Ballinbreich Castle he was summoned to Huntingtower (Ruthven) to the christening of James Ruthven, the heir.
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. On 22 or 23 August 1582, Gowrie and his associates seized the young king at Huntingtower, then known as "Ruthven Castle". James was held prisoner for 10 months in various locations. This kidnapping is known as the 'Raid of Ruthven' and the Protestant conspirators behind it hoped to gain power through controlling the king. James Stewart, Earl of Arran was imprisoned in Ruthven Castle. James eventually escaped from his captors at St Andrews on 27 June 1583.
James VI forgave Gowrie, and returned for a banquet at the "House of Ruthven", 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. Dorothea Stewart, Countess of Gowrie, was commanded to surrender Dirleton, Huntingtower ("Ruthven"), Cousland, and the Gowrie lodging in Perth to the crown in May 1584.
James VI and his young cousin Ludovic, Duke of Lennox stayed at Huntingtower in September 1584, as a German traveller Lupold von Wedel noted. After around 10 days, there was news of plague in nearby Perth, where some of the servants were staying, and so the king and a few followers went on to Tullibardine Castle and then to Stirling Castle. The rest of the royal household remained in quarantine enclosed at Huntingtower.
The Castle and lands were restored to the Ruthven family in 1586. The king visited for a week in September 1587. However, in 1600, the brothers John and Alexander Ruthven were accused, some say falsely, of attempting to kidnap King James, and were killed in Gowrie House, the Ruthven home in Perth, by an overwhelming number of the king's armed men. 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 Ruthven castle was renamed Huntingtower.
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Huntingtower Castle AI simulator
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Huntingtower Castle
Huntingtower Castle, once known as Ruthven Castle or the Place of Ruthven, is located near the village of Huntingtower beside the A85 and near the A9, about 5 km NW of the centre of Perth, Perth and Kinross, in central Scotland, on the main road to Crieff. This castle is the subject for several local ghostlore stories.
Huntingtower Castle was built at least by the 14th century as it was one of the castles owned by the Lords of Badenoch. Alexander Stewart, Earl of Buchan, called the Wolf of Badenoch for his misdeeds, died there in 1394.
Later, in the 15th century the castle was claimed by the Huntly family,[citation needed] or by the Clan Ruthven family. It was known for several hundred years as the 'House (or 'Place') of Ruthven' or 'Ruthven Castle', or simply 'Ryffane', until the family was forfeited for the Gowrie Conspiracy in 1600 and the Ruthven name was suppressed by Act of Parliament. As contemporary writers reported, the "prinsipall howse callyd Ryven is now callyd the Huntynge towre" and, "the House of Riven to be called Hunt towre". The Ruthvens also had a substantial townhouse in nearby Perth, called Gowrie House.
Mary, Queen of Scots visited on 25 June and 16 September 1565. Regent Morton made a progress in Fife in September 1575, and while he was at Ballinbreich Castle he was summoned to Huntingtower (Ruthven) to the christening of James Ruthven, the heir.
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. On 22 or 23 August 1582, Gowrie and his associates seized the young king at Huntingtower, then known as "Ruthven Castle". James was held prisoner for 10 months in various locations. This kidnapping is known as the 'Raid of Ruthven' and the Protestant conspirators behind it hoped to gain power through controlling the king. James Stewart, Earl of Arran was imprisoned in Ruthven Castle. James eventually escaped from his captors at St Andrews on 27 June 1583.
James VI forgave Gowrie, and returned for a banquet at the "House of Ruthven", 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. Dorothea Stewart, Countess of Gowrie, was commanded to surrender Dirleton, Huntingtower ("Ruthven"), Cousland, and the Gowrie lodging in Perth to the crown in May 1584.
James VI and his young cousin Ludovic, Duke of Lennox stayed at Huntingtower in September 1584, as a German traveller Lupold von Wedel noted. After around 10 days, there was news of plague in nearby Perth, where some of the servants were staying, and so the king and a few followers went on to Tullibardine Castle and then to Stirling Castle. The rest of the royal household remained in quarantine enclosed at Huntingtower.
The Castle and lands were restored to the Ruthven family in 1586. The king visited for a week in September 1587. However, in 1600, the brothers John and Alexander Ruthven were accused, some say falsely, of attempting to kidnap King James, and were killed in Gowrie House, the Ruthven home in Perth, by an overwhelming number of the king's armed men. 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 Ruthven castle was renamed Huntingtower.