Alternative Names Place Of Ruthven; Ruthven Castle
Site type CASTLE, COUNTRY HOUSE, TOWER HOUSE
Canmore ID 26717
Site Number NO02NE 1.00
NGR NO 08260 25129
Council PERTH AND KINROSS
Parish TIBBERMORE
Former Region TAYSIDE
Former District PERTH AND KINROSS
Former County PERTHSHIRE

Canmore Mapping
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Archaeological Notes

Huntingtower Castle: two tower-houses linked by 1-bay addition in 17th century. E tower: early 15th century, remodelled in late 15th or 16th century, 3-storey and garret with corbelled wall work. Painted ceiling and remains of plasterwork c. 1540 at 1st floor, good fireplace, aumrie etc. at 2nd. W tower: late 15th or early 16th century with jamb 3-storey and garret with corbelled wall-walk, dovecot in garret of jamb, remains of mural painting at 1st floor. Extensive old walled garden (NO02NE 1.01) on E and roof scar of hall block on N side of W tower.
Originally the Place of Ruthven and home of that family; scene of the Raid of Ruthven, 1582. The 3rd Earl of Gowrie was killed in the Gowrie Conspiracy of 1600, the estate passing to the crown and being re-named Huntingtower. Became the property of Wm. Murray, 1st Earl of Dysart, in 1643; sold to 2nd Earl of Tullibardine in 1663 and thence to Duke of Atholl. Tower house 1760 and calico printers' dormitory thereafter. Placed in Guardianship 1912.
SDD/HBM List, March 1967.

NO 082 251. A watching brief was carried out by Scotia Archaeology Limited during the re-excavation of a drainage sump outside the entrance to the E wing of the castle. The existing sump, which was 0.5m deep, was emptied of its infill and its depth extended by a further 0.5m through deposits disturbed during recent years. Nothing of archaeological interest was uncovered.
Sponsor: Historic Scotland.
D Reed 1993.

Watching brief NO 0826 2512 A watching brief was undertaken in May 2005 during the uplifting of cobbles in the narrow gap between the 15thcentury E and W towers which has been incorporated into the general structure of the castle (NO02NE 1.00) and is now described as the 'link block'. Intrusive works were confined to areas already affected by the 1912 and 1960 structural alterations to the castle.
The shallow excavation into the bedding deposits below the cobbled floor revealed no earlier levels. Observations of the level of the chamfered stones in the doorway into the W tower suggested that the old floor level in the link block had been reduced by 400mm, in which case all old surfaces would have been destroyed by the 1912 works. The 1960s work did little damage, except for pipe insertions and the removal of the N part of the cobbled floor. No finds or features of archaeological significance were revealed.
Archive to be deposited in NMRS.
Sponsor: HS.
D Stewart 2005.

For adjacent Huntingtower House, see NO02NE 134.
NO02NE 1.01 08265 25056 Walled Garden

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Architectural Notes

Ministry of Works Guardianship Monument
See MoPBW official guidebook.

Notes and Activities

28 January 2010

WATCHING BRIEF

Notes NO 0825 2512 A watching brief was undertaken on 28
January 2010 during the replacement of rotten flooring in
the S doorway to the W tower of Huntingtower Castle. The
floor was recorded both prior to and after the removal of the
floorboards. A reduced late 15th- to early 16th-century wall
was uncovered on the same line as the S wall of the W Tower.
The current S door was originally a 17th-century window that
was converted into a doorway at a later date.
Archive: RCAHMS (intended)
Funder: Historic Scotland

Further details

Books and References

Anon (1928) 'Should Sporting Rights be Taxed ?', Scot Country Life, vol.15, 8 August
Page(s): p.252

Billings, R W (1845-52) The baronial and ecclesiastical antiquities of Scotland, 4v Edinburgh
Page(s): Vol. 4, unpaged Held at RCAHMS D.2

Breeze, D J (2002) People and places: the men, women and places that made Scottish history, Edinburgh
Page(s): 80-81 Held at RCAHMS C.3.5.BRE

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