Crichton Castle (18) - a photo on Flickriver

            This stair leads from the main kitchen in the previous photo, back down to the courtyard.

So, the history!  The three great families that owned Crichton Castle were so central to Scottish 14th and 15th century history that it would take me a week to write it all down here!  And it's all on the internet (Wikipedia) already!  So I shall try to restrict myself to giving an outline only - which may not be easy!

The Crichtons

In the late 14th century John de Crichtoun (d.1406) built the original tower-house here - the great keep on the east side.  

John's eldest son and heir was William Crichton.  He was one of eighteen gentlemen to receive the honour of knighthood at the coronation of King James I on 21 May 1424, and was later made a Gentleman of the Bedchamber.  Two years later he took part in a diplomatic trip to Norway, following which he was appointed governor of Edinburgh Castle, Master of the Royal Household and by 1435 Sheriff of Edinburgh.

By 1424, things were looking up in Scotland.  King James I, who had been held captive in England for many years, was finally released and Scotland could at last be ruled by a king again, rather than a  brutal and self-serving regent and a few overly powerful nobles.  But, in 1437, James was murdered in Perth and his son and heir, now King James II, was only 6 years.  The perils of regency were about to return.  

Whoever possessed the king wielded the power in the land and as Keeper of Edinburgh Castle, it was Sir William Crichton that held the king.  Crichton promptly (1439) had himself proclaimed Lord Chancellor of Scotland and set about countering the greatest military threat (to him!) in the land - the Douglases.  

Following the death in 1440 of the Regent, Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Douglas, Crichton and Sir Alexander Livingston invited the 16-year-old William, 6th Earl of Douglas and his brother to dinner in Edinburgh Castle.  While they ate, a black bull's head, a symbol of death, was brought in and placed before the Earl.  Over the protests of the young King James II, the two brothers were then dragged out to Castle Hill, given a mock trial and beheaded.  This brutal incident of murder and betrayal of hospitality has become known as the ‘Black Dinner’.  The Douglases then laid siege to Edinburgh Castle, however, perceiving the danger, Crichton surrendered the castle to the king and was rewarded with the title Lord Crichton!

Lord Crichton remained King James' closest advisor until his death, being entrusted in 1448 to travel to France to find a bride for the king.  He returned the following year with Mary of Guelders, daughter of Arnold, Duke of Guelders and subsequently mother of King James III.

Taken on: July 10, 2010

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Camera: Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XSi, f/4.0, 1/25 sec, 24mm, ISO 640 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XSi
Aperture:	f/4.0
Exposure Time:	0.04 sec (1/25)
Focal Length:	24mm
ISO:	640
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Not Defined
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
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