Dirleton Castle - History - Ruthven

Ruthven

The eldest daughter, Janet, married William Ruthven, 2nd Lord Ruthven (d. 1552) in 1515, and the castle and lordship of Dirleton passed to the Ruthven family. The son of William and Janet, Patrick, 3rd Lord Ruthven (c. 1520-1566), was one of the leaders of the group who murdered David Riccio, private secretary to Mary, Queen of Scots, in 1566. Patrick was forced to flee to England, where he died, leaving Dirleton to his son William (c. 1541-1584), who was created Earl of Gowrie in 1581. Lord Gowrie led a plot, later known as the Raid of Ruthven, in which the 16-year-old King James VI was seized, in August 1582. Ruthven then ruled in the king's name, while James was held captive. Although Gowrie was pardoned the following year, he was executed in 1584 for his part in another plot to seize Stirling Castle, and his lands were forfeited to the crown. A keen amateur arboriculturalist, Lord Gowrie is thought to have laid out the gardens at Dirleton, and planted numerous trees.

James VI granted Dirleton to the Earl of Arran, who entertained the King there in 1585. The following year, the castle was restored to Lady Dorothea, widow of the first Earl, and by 1600 had passed to John Ruthven, 3rd Earl of Gowrie (c. 1577-1600), their second son. However, in August that year, in an event known as the "Gowrie Conspiracy", Lord Gowrie and his younger brother were killed attempting to kidnap or assassinate James VI at Perth. Lord Gowrie is said to have persuaded Robert Logan of Restalrig to join the plot by offering, as a bribe, Dirleton Castle, which Logan described as "the pleasantest dwelling in Scotland". However, the failure of the plot led to the attainder of the Ruthven family, and the castle was forfeited once again. Dirleton was granted to Thomas Erskine of Gogar, who had killed Lord Gowrie and helped to save the King, although Lady Dorothea was permitted to live there until her death in 1605, after which the castle ceased to be a noble residence. Erskine was later created the 1st Earl of Kellie, but sold the castle to Sir James Douglas in 1625. Douglas sold it on to Alexander Morieson of Prestongrange, who sold it in turn, in 1631, to James Maxwell of Innerwick (d. c. 1650), who was created Earl of Dirletoun in 1646.