Crichton Castle

Crichton Castle is a castle or castle ruins near the source of the Tyne in Scotland, the place Crichton, Midlothian, south of Edinburgh.

History

In the late 14th century John de Crichton had built a tower house as a family residence. His son William was raised in 1443 to the nobility and served the Kingdom of Scotland as Lord Chancellor. After the destruction of the castle in 1445, an act of revenge that William Crichton co-organizer of the so-called black food (Black Dinner ) was in 1440 when the Earl of Douglas was murdered, William was to restore and expand the building. At the same time he built the nearby church.

The third Lord Crichton, followers of Alexander Stewart, 1st Duke of Albany, lost in 1483 after his flight to France peerage and estates. 1488 the Crichton Castle, along with the also acquired by Crichton Castle Bothwell Sir John Ramsey were suitable, however, the 1488 in turn fell into disfavor. The Scottish King James IV gave the former property of Crichton's Patrick Hepburn, Lord Hailes, who later became the Earl of Bothwell. Because the role of James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell, during the Scottish Reformation was Crichton castle besieged and taken by the Earl of Arran on November 3, 1560. 1567 was the Earl of Bothwell in the murder of Henry Stuart, the husband of Mary Queen of Scots, involved (probably the principal), and became her third husband. After the abdication of Mary Stuart in June 1567, he lost in December 1567 title and estates. This was in 1568 Francis Stewart, an illegitimate grandson of King James V Stewart, excited by a Bereisung of the continent, had built the north wing of the Italian-inspired Castle Crichton in the 1580s according to its own design. Steward received in 1577 the title of Earl of Bothwell, was conspiring against James I and was accused of witchcraft, and he lost the title and estates. After his flight to Naples was his son Francis castles and estates, however, suffered under the debt of the father and eventually sold to the Hepburns of Humbie Crichton.

1956 gave the last owner, Major Henry Callander Crichton Castle in the administration of the State. The painted by William Turner in the 19th century castle is now a "Scheduled Monument" (protected archaeological site ) under management by Historic Scotland.

Architecture

Crichton Castle consists of four connected buildings with a shared courtyard. To the east lies the 14th- century. originating tower with vaulted foundation and wooden mezzanine. Furthermore, there is a vaulted hall. The south-west corner tower is destroyed. With the expansion in the early 15th century. Another south tower was built, forming an L with the gate between the two towers. Towards the end of the 15th century. the plant was expanded to include a west wing with six-storey tower and the north wing. A special feature of Crichton Castle is the Italian-inspired North facade of the courtyard. It goes on the Palazzo dei Diamanti, built in 1582 in Ferrara, back. Their surface design remember having pyramidal projections on diamonds. Inside the complex there is Scotland's first zweiläufiges staircase (until then were spiral staircases usual). South of the palace is another building whose purpose is uncertain (barn, slaughterhouse or chapel ). Here the spirit of William Crichton to be haunted.

55.8411 - 2.9895Koordinaten: 55 ° 50 ' 28 " N, 2 ° 59' 22 " W

• Midlothian