Huntingtower Castle

Huntingtower Castle is located just west of Perth beside the junction of the A9 and the A85 Crieff road. Set in beautiful grounds, Huntingtower is medieval in origin and was the home to two families, the Ruthvens and the Murrays.

The castle has a coulourful history, hosting two visits to Mary Queen of Scots and once to her son James VI, who was held against his will there for ten months in 1582 during the episode known as the Ruthven Raid.

The castle consists of two towers, the West tower and the Eastern tower. Dorothea, daughter of the first Earl of Gowrie is said to have leapt between the two towers, of the castle, a distance of 9 feet 4 inches, to escape nearly being discovered by her mother when visiting her lover in his chamber. The mother was reassured to find her daughter in her own bed that night, and her lover alone in his chamber in the other tower. Nevertheless, the love struck couple eloped the next day. The gap between the towers has since been know as The Maiden's Leap.