Sitting in a remote position approximately fourteen miles south-east of Edinburgh city centre, the ruins of Crichton Castle can be found. The once-grand castle boasts over six hundred years of history, beginning as a three-storey tower house, constructed in the late thirteenth century for John de Crichton. However, it was his son, William Crichton, who created much of the castle that can still be seen today. William was a trusted ally of King James I, who awarded him the positions of Sheriff of Edinburgh and Keeper of Edinburgh Castle. When King James I was assassinated in 1437, the throne passed to his infant son, King James II, aged just six years old. As one might expect, a period of unrest followed, with noble families vying to influence the young king. William was elevated to the position of Chancellor of Scotland, but it was the head of another noble family, Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas, who was appointed Lieutenant General of Scotland and tasked with administering the country on behalf of the juvenile king.
This was perhaps the trigger for a long-standing feud between the Crichton and Douglas families. In 1439, when Archibald Douglas died, it was William Crichton and Sir Alexander Livingston who became the political powers in the country. The powerful Douglas family, however, was still seen as a threat, which led to one of the most infamous murders in Scottish history, known as the Black Dinner. An invitation was sent to William Douglas, 6th Earl of Douglas, and his younger brother, David, to dine with the King, an opportunity they seized upon. This was, however, a trap set by Sir Crichton and Sir Livingston to lure the Earl from his castle so he could be charged with treason.
Although somewhat disputed, it is said that when the guests thought the meal was complete, a further dish was brought out and placed in front of the brothers. On the dish sat the head of a black bull, a sign in Scottish tradition of imminent death to those to whom it is presented. William and David Douglas were promptly arrested and charged with treason, and after what could only have been a sham trial, they were beheaded, some say in front of the ten-year-old king. It is said that author George R. R. Martin drew inspiration for the 'Red Wedding' scene in his highly successful Game of Thrones series from the story of the Black Dinner.
William Crichton was knighted in 1447 and became the first Lord of Crichton. His position in society brought great wealth, much of which he invested in Crichton Castle, which had been damaged in an attack by those loyal to the Douglas family. He created a courtyard castle with considerable defences that dominated the landscape, and he had a church built near the castle, where priests would pray for the family.
After William’s death in 1454, the family’s influence rapidly declined. William’s son, also named William, was said to have had an affair with the sister of King James III, and he was later accused of plotting against the King. The King showed his displeasure by stripping the family of all titles and land. When King James IV came to the throne in 1488, the castle was passed to the Bothwell family, best known for the 4th Earl of Bothwell, James Hepburn, who became the third husband of Mary, Queen of Scots, in 1567. This marriage ultimately led to the downfall of the Bothwell family, as the Earl was widely believed to have been responsible for the murder of Queen Mary’s second husband, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley. Mary was captured later that year by a combined army of noble families who opposed her, and Hepburn fled the country.
In 1581, the castle was passed to Francis Stewart, the grandson of the 3rd Earl of Bothwell. Francis had travelled throughout Europe and soon set about transforming the castle into a more comfortable mansion. The height of the tower house was reduced, and the property was extended to include a new north lodging, which incorporated a diamond-patterned façade cut into the courtyard wall, a potentially unique feature in Scotland and undoubtedly influenced by his travels. An impressive stable block, often now mistaken for a chapel, was also built under his instruction.
Unfortunately, Francis Stewart was also destined to fall out of favour with the King, and in 1595 he fled the country, leaving Crichton Castle abandoned. Over the centuries, the castle deteriorated, and it might have been completely lost had it not been for its inclusion in a poem named Marmion, written by Sir Walter Scott in 1808, and its depiction in a painting by the renowned landscape artist Joseph Turner. Both led to increased public interest in the castle. The castle was listed as a scheduled monument in 1921 and is now maintained by Historic Environment Scotland.
The castle has long been associated with a tale of a phantom horseman, who, witnesses say, rides across the moors before vanishing through one of the castle’s walls. This has led many to believe it is the ghost of Sir William Crichton, as the point where the spectre vanishes into the wall was one of the original entrances to the castle courtyard, which was blocked up in later alterations.
The spook is, however, also seen leaving the stable block, which was not built until long after Sir William’s death, and so it may be that the ghost is in fact that of Francis Stewart, who devoted so much time and money to remodelling the castle before being forced to flee the country, leaving his beloved home behind him.
Comments