If you have ever spent time exploring your own ancestry roots, you probably had the urge to visit that place on the planet where your family history began. For Jim, that was Scotland and our trip to the town of Perth was built around the desire to visit his “family castle” Huntingtower.
While we are still in the midst of verifying all the generational links, we are 99% sure that he descends from the famous Ruthven clan. These ancestors were not only lords and earls, but were major players in Wars of Scottish Independence where in 1292, Sir Walter Ruthven fought with William Wallace at the siege of Perth. The family was rewarded for their loyalty in 1313 when Robert the Bruce made Sir William Ruthven sheriff of Perth and the family was again rewarded by being made Lords Ruthven by King James the III and the Scottish Parliament in 1488.
Unfortunately, the Ruthvens were also caught up in royal intrigues and Patrick, 3rd Lord Ruthven led a band of Protestant nobles in a conspiracy to murder Mary, Queen of Scots’ personal secretary and close friend David Rizzio. Ruthven mortally wounded Rizzio with a dagger in the queen's chambers at Holyrood Palace. Since this greatly distressed the queen and her supporters, he had to flee to England and remain in exile for the rest of his life. Not surprisingly, the family temporarily lost their title for several years!
Holyrood Palace
In 1581 William Ruthven, 4th Lord Ruthven was made Earl of Gowrie by James VI, King of the Scots, but again, the family had a difficult time retaining their titles due to their involvement in the political intrigues of the day.
William Ruthven abducted King James VI in order to remove him from the influence of his nobles. This became known as the "Ruthven Raid". The king was detained at the Ruthven castle for ten months and was finally released, but William was later arrested in 1584 and beheaded for treason.
William Ruthven abducted King James VI in order to remove him from the influence of his nobles. This became known as the "Ruthven Raid". The king was detained at the Ruthven castle for ten months and was finally released, but William was later arrested in 1584 and beheaded for treason.
The family castle was originally called the “House of Ruthven”, but in revenge for his kidnapping, King James VI had the name of Ruthven abolished, their arms were cancelled and deleted from the Book of Arms and all their property was forfeited and taken by the Crown. The name of the House of Ruthven was changed to Huntingtower Castle.
This is a trend that continued into the 17th century when the family slowly began to restore its image. The lords Ruthven would eventually be restored, but the castle was not returned to the Ruthven family.
This is a trend that continued into the 17th century when the family slowly began to restore its image. The lords Ruthven would eventually be restored, but the castle was not returned to the Ruthven family.
Exploring a castle where you know ancestors lived, worked and loved, is quite different from visiting a random castle as your typical tourist, so visiting Huntingtower was really special.
The castle began as two separate tower houses built a few meters apart. The eastern tower was originally a gate-house turned residence and the western tower was built shortly afterwards as a residential tower house. Some say that two Ruthven brothers lived side by side in these houses!
The castle began as two separate tower houses built a few meters apart. The eastern tower was originally a gate-house turned residence and the western tower was built shortly afterwards as a residential tower house. Some say that two Ruthven brothers lived side by side in these houses!
Entrance to East Tower
East Tower Ground Floor
(Probably the Kitchens & Household Work Rooms)
We viewed each room with mental eyes projecting furnishings and imagining the rooms filled with the families and famous guests who inhabited the castle. Mary, Queen of Scots even stayed at the castle in June of 1565, and again with her second husband, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, in September while on their honeymoon.
Luckily for us, there were still remnants of the early 16th century décor in the fragmented wall paintings and what is believed to be the oldest painted wooden beamed ceiling in Scotland.
Luckily for us, there were still remnants of the early 16th century décor in the fragmented wall paintings and what is believed to be the oldest painted wooden beamed ceiling in Scotland.
Great Hall 1st Floor
2nd Floor Family Chambers with Garret Above
We wandered all the way up to the ramparts on the rooftop where the fields of Perthshire spread out far below.
Rooftop Ramparts
One fun story attached to the castle is the “The Maiden’s Leap”. Dorothea; the daughter of the first Earl of Gowrie is said to have leapt between the tops of the two towers of the castle, a distance of 9 feet 4 inches in order to escape from her lover’s room (located in the other tower of course) before her mother found her there during a nightly bed-check. The mother was reassured to find her daughter in her own bed, and the young man alone in his, but much to her dismay I’m sure, the two young people eloped the next morning!
In the 17th century, the two towers were finally joined to make the castle look like a typical country mansion of the day. You can still see the arrow slits and entrance steps from what was the exterior of the old East Tower now enclosed in the interior connecting space.
Connecting Space Between the Two Towers
The West tower house is L –shaped and is the more spacious of the two towers, but it has lost its wooden floors so you can gaze all the way up to the sloping roof. The tall stone walls are dotted with fireplaces, windows, staircase openings and traces of decorative wall plaster.
West Tower
The Great Hall Plaster Fragment
Coat of Arms for the Ruthven/Erskine Family
The castle was everything we had hoped it would be and the time spent there was magical.
Even if you aren’t related to the Ruthven clan, a stop at Huntingtower Castle should be added to your Scotland itinerary!
Even if you aren’t related to the Ruthven clan, a stop at Huntingtower Castle should be added to your Scotland itinerary!
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