Crichton Castle, Scotland

Crichton Castle is a ruined castle built by John de Crichton as his main family home, in the late 14th century.

John's son, William was made Lord Crichton around 1443. In 1440 he had been partly responsible for organising the "Black Dinner", where the young Earl of Douglas was murdered. As a result, he obtained the Douglas property of Bothwell Castle in Lanarkshire for himself. John Forrester of Corstorphine, a Douglas adherent, stormed and slighted Crichton Castle in 1445 in retaliation. William reconstructed and extended the castle. The 3rd Lord Crichton was a supporter of Alexander Stewart, Duke of Albany, and his lands and titles were forfeit in 1483, when Albany was sentenced for treason and Crichton Castle was briefly granted to Sir John Ramsey, who forfeited it in 1488.

That year, James IV granted Crichton to Patrick Hepburn, who was later made Earl of Bothwell. The 4th Earl of Bothwell sided with Mary of Guise during the Scottish Reformation, and when he took English money sent to the Lords of the Congregation, the castle was besieged and captured by the Earl of Arran in 1560.

In 1568, Crichton, was granted to Francis Stewart, son of John Stewart, Lord Darnley, and Jean Hepburn, and thus bastard grandson of James V. Francis travelled in Europe, and he designed the very modern Italianate north range in the 1580s. He was created Earl Bothwell in 1577, but conspired against the young James VI, and was accused of witchcraft. He forfeited his estates in turn in 1592, and was forced to flee to Naples. His son Francis was reinstated, but laboured under his father's debts, and sold Crichton to the Hepburns of Humbie.

In 1956, the castle was given into state care. J. M. W. Turner painted the castle, and it features in Sir Walter Scott's Marmion. Crichton was also used as a location in the 1995 film Rob Roy.

Opening Times

1 April - 30 September
Daily: 9.30 am to 5.30 pm

Closed October to March inclusive

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Ticket Prices

Adult £4.00,
Child £2.40,
Concession £3.20

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Disabled Facilities

Parking: There is a large rough gravel surfaced car park approx 550 metres from the site. Visitors with mobility problems can be dropped off at the Castle.

Approach to Site: The site is approached through a kissing gate and along a 600m long rough dirt track that is liable to flooding in the winter. This had some steep gradients up to 1.8 for 20m. There is a wooden gate 1m wide into the Castle enclosure and then a short cobbled section to the Castle.

Reception and Visitor Centre: The reception area and shop is accessed via a small threshold ramp down into the vault and then a timber step up.

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More Information

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