Huntingtower Castle dates from the era in which a castle was a castle. A fortification more than a home. Utilitarian more than comfortable. In the 1500s, Huntingtower was the home of the Ruthven family. Our story begins when the 4th Lord Ruthven and his cohorts became involved in a plot to kidnap King James VI, son of Mary, Queen of Scots. Their plan was to gain power by controlling the King. However, King James escaped, and soon forgave Lord Ruthven. Lord Ruthven--perhaps not the brightest Lord of the Peerage--soon gathered some friends and attempted to overthrow James yet again. That failed, and this time Lord Ruthven was executed and Huntingtower was seized by the crown.
A few years later the castle and lands were given back to the Ruthven family who (as hard as this may be to believe) were caught up in yet another plot to kill King James. This time the King executed the two Ruthven brothers involved, seized their estate and abolished the name of Ruthven altogether. Thus, the House of Ruthven became Huntingtower Castle.
The castle itself is very stark, both inside and out, but interesting. The ceilings are wood and some of the paintings and decorations have survived the centuries. Unfortunately, the electric lights are few, the windows are high and small, making the rooms very dim.
Besides the tense relationship with King James VI, our guide told of the love story between a daughter of an earlier Ruthven Lord and a servant of the household. Per the tale, the two met often in the servants' quarters in the eastern tower, while the family occupied the western tower. (At that time, the castle consisted of two separate towers connected by a bridge). One evening, as the mother crossed the bridge between the towers--suspecting daughter/servant hanky-panky--said daughter, tipped off by some kind soul, and possessing amazing athletic skills, leaped several meters from the servants' tower to the family tower, and raced to her bed where she was later found safe and sound, with Mom none the wiser. Daughter and servant eloped the next day and we hope...we don't know, as no records exist...that they lived happily ever after
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If you should visit Huntingtower, do allow enough time to read the many signs around the interior of the castle. They are fascinating, full of history--scandalous and otherwise, and tie-in now and then with Scone Palace, our next stop on this day.
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After a relatively short drive, we arrive at Scone Palace--described as Georgian-Gothic. Scone Palace was originally an Augustinian Abbey, but during the Scottish Reformation, was badly damaged thanks to a mob whipped up (and, some say led by, John Knox himself). Subsequently, it became a secular home inhabited by a family named Mansfield. Over the centuries, the palace has been enlarged, remodeled, updated and beautified.
The grounds of Scone Palace are exceptional, and worth the trip all by themselves. They are open to the public and include this immense Douglas Fir...the seeds for which came from the United States (Columbia River area) in 1826. It's a beauty! We spent an hour wandering in the park-like area, and still felt rushed. Had it not been for rain and mud, we would have visited the diamond-shaped maze created from two types of beech plantings...a good reason to visit again!
Scone (the area) rates Quintessential billing as it has been the crowning-place of the Kings of Scots since the 800's. Yes--the 800's...it's not a typo. Parliaments resided here, laws were made, treaties ratified, and lesser rulers promised their fealty.
There exists a Stone of Scone upon which, or over which, the monarchs of Scotland, England and the United Kingdom, for centuries, have been crowned. The Stone of Scone is the making of a coronation. It was last used in 1953 when Queen Elizabeth II was crowned. I love looking at those pictures...she was so young.
If you love legends, you will love the Stone of Scone. Some say the stone originated in Tara, the coronation place of Ireland, but then again the stone itself matches that quarried near Scone.
Was the Stone of Scone that was captured by Edward I and taken to England in 1296 the authentic Stone of Scone, or is the Stone of Scone buried in the silt at the bottom of the River Tay, deposited there for safekeeping by monks from Scone Abbey?
And the Stone of Scone that England returned to Scotland in 1996? Is it really the same stone stolen from Westminster Abbey by four Scottish students (1990) which, in its journey to Scotland was broken in two and buried in a field before its arrival in Scotland; only to be returned to Westminster months later when the London police discovered its whereabouts? Or, is it a copy?
Well, I don't know, but it's a great story and I'm all about stories. And, tradition. And, England, Scotland and Wales. I have no favorites. I love them all, and I'm sad that our trip is coming to an end.
Always heard about the stone of scone. Thanks for the background.
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