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Huntingtower Castle once known as Ruthven Castle is situated about 5km NW of the centre of Perth.
Huntingtower Castle
The castle was built in stages from the 15th century by the Clan Ruthven family. In 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.
Huntingtower is haunted by Lady Greensleeves, a young woman named Dorothea who was the daughter of the 1st Earl of Gowrie. Dorothea fell head over heels in love with a lowly castle servant. Besotted with her fairy-tale not-quite-a-prince she would secretly meet him in the Eastern Tower in the dead of night. However, one night the two lovers were discovered by Dorothea’s suspicious mother.
The Window Seat at
Huntingtower Castle where the ghost of Lady Greensleeves sits and thinks
of happier (and more lively) times . . .
Unwilling to give in to her mother’s demands that she give up her love, Dorothea and the servant ran away and were never seen again. Well . . . not until now . . . for the spirit of Dorothea is often seen moving furtively around the castle as if still seeking her servant lover.
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