Dirleton Castle

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dirleton Castle

Dirleton Castle is a ruined castle in the Scottish village of Dirleton in the East Lothian council area . In 1971 the building was included in the Scottish List of Monuments in the highest category A. The facility is also classified as a Scheduled Monument . Most recently, the associated gardens are listed in the Scottish Landscaping Register.

history

In the early 12th century, the barony of Dirleton, which stretched to the Firth of Forth , came into the possession of William de Vaux . The de Vaux family had a wooden fortress built on the site. Probably in the 13th century this was replaced by the nucleus of today's Dirleton Castle. The stone required for construction came from a quarry in nearby Gullane . Troops of the English King Edward I stormed the castle in 1298 and occupied it. During this time, various extensions were added. It was not until 1311 that Robert the Bruce's troops recaptured the fortress and partially tore down the extensions. Dirleton Castle went back to the de Vaux family. In the time of David II , John Halyburton married the daughter of the de Vaux family and Dirleton Castle became the property of the Halyburton family.

During the revolt against King David II in 1363, William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas captured the fortress. After the reconquest by the Halyburtons, the facility was extensively expanded and strengthened. The work dragged on until the 15th century. During a visit , the Scottish King James IV provided funds for the expansion of Dirleton Castle. The Halyburtons grew in influence and Sir Walter Haliburton was installed as Lord High Treasurer of Scotland . His son John Haliburton was in 1450 when Lord Haliburton of Dirleton to peer collected. After Patrick Haliburton, 5th Lord Haliburton of Dirleton had no male offspring, the title fell to his daughter Janet , who in 1515 married William Ruthven, 2nd Lord Ruthven , the Provost of Perth , which ended the era of the Halyburtons at Dirleton Castle .

Her son Patrick Ruthven, 3rd Lord Ruthven inherited Dirleton Castle. He was involved in the plot to murder David Rizzio at the Scottish royal court. William , the fourth Lord Ruthven, became the first Earl of Gowrie in 1581 . He was the leader of the contractors that King James VI. kidnapped and arrested ( Ruthven Raid ). After Ruthven's plans to capture Stirling Castle were exposed , he was convicted and beheaded. His widow Lady Dorothea initially gave up Dirleton Castle, whereupon the King gave the complex to the care of James Hamilton, 3rd Earl of Arran . Before the end of the year, however, Lady Dorothea received the castle back. After two of her sons were hanged in the course of the "Gowrie Conspiracy", the family was stripped of all possessions and offices. Dirleton Castle fell to Thomas Erskine, 1st Earl of Kellie . However, Lady Gowrie was granted a right of residence in the castle.

His son Thomas Erskine, 2nd Earl of Kellie sold the property and it eventually came into the possession of James Maxwell , who later became the first and only Earl of Dirletoun . In 1650 troops captured Oliver Cromwell's Dirleton Castle and briefly used it as a hospital. In 1663 the castle was sold to John Nisbet, Lord Dirleton . In the same year he had the nearby Archerfield House built for himself. Dirleton Castle was abandoned and inherited through the female line. Only the parks and gardens were used and maintained. Today the ruin belongs to the National Trust for Scotland and is maintained by Historic Scotland .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
  2. ↑ Scheduled Monument - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
  3. ↑ a b c d e Garden and Designed Landscape - entry . In: Historic Scotland .
  4. ^ Entry in the Gazetteer for Scotland

Web links

Commons : Dirleton Castle  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Coordinates: 56 ° 2 ′ 45 "  N , 2 ° 46 ′ 41.4"  W.