Crichton Castle Crichton Castle is a ruined castle situated at the head of the River Tyne , near the village of Crichton , Midlothian , Scotland . The castle lies two miles south of the village of Pathhead , and the same distance east of Gorebridge , at . A mile to the south - west is Borthwick Castle . History . In the late 14th century John de Crichton ( d . 1406 ) built a tower house here as his family residence . John ' s son , William ( d . c . 1453 ) , served as Lord Chancellor of Scotland , and was made Lord Crichton in c . 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 the castle in 1445 in retaliation . William , however , reconstructed and extended the castle , and also built the nearby collegiate church . 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 . Crichton Castle , along with Bothwell Castle , was briefly granted to Sir John Ramsey , who forfeited it in 1488 . That year , James IV granted Crichton to Patrick Hepburn , Lord Hailes , who was later made Earl of Bothwell . His son , the second Earl , died at the Battle of Flodden in 1513 . Adam was succeeded by his son Patrick , who intrigued with the English against the Scottish crown , but eventually made peace with the regent , Mary of Guise . James Hepburn , 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 , Regent Arran ordered an assault on Borthwick and Crichton , and the castle was besieged and captured by the Earl of Arran on 3 November 1560 . The castle was the scene of the marriage and wedding festivities , on 4 January 1562 , of Patrick ' s daughter Jean ( d . before July 1599 ) and her first husband , John Stewart , Lord Darnley , Prior of Coldingham , and illegitimate son of King James V . John Stewart ' s half - sister Mary , Queen of Scots , spent a few nights at the castle while attending this wedding . The Earl of Bothwell was implicated in February 1567 in the murder of Queen Mary ' s husband Henry Stuart , Lord Darnley , and became Mary ' s third husband in May of that year . In December , all Bothwell ' s titles and estates , including Crichton , were forfeited . In 1568 , Crichton , along with Bothwell ' s other estates , 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 by its owner , Major Henry Callander of Preston Hall . 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 . It is now a Scheduled Ancient Monument administered by Historic Scotland . Architecture . Crichton Castle comprises four contiguous buildings arranged around an inner courtyard . The 14th century tower lies at the east of the castle , and has a vaulted basement with timber entresol , and a vaulted hall above , although the south - west corner of the tower has collapsed . To the west of this tower was a barmkin . William Crichton extended the castle in the early 15th century , building a second tower to the south , forming a strong L - plan , with the gate between the two towers . The south tower was entered by a door in the centre , with vaulted cellars either side . Two halls occupied the first and second floors . In the later 15th century a west block was added , with a six - storey tower at the south - west , containing several bedrroms with garderobes . A stair in the south block gave access to these rooms . The north range was added at this time , closing the courtyard , but this section was heavily rebuilt in the following century . The castle ' s most distinctive feature is its Italian - influenced courtyard façade , which forms part of the north range . Francis Stewart , the designer , had travelled to Italy , and was inspired by new styles and technology in buildings there , particularly the Palazzo dei Diamanti in Ferrara ( c . 1582 ) . This was the source of the diamond rustication on the courtyard wall . The initials of Francis and his wife Margaret Douglas appear on the walls , together with an anchor representing Stewart ' s position of Lord High Admiral of Scotland . Inside are further innovations ; Scotland ' s first scale - and - platt stair , " i . e . " a modern - style staircase with landings , and a drawing room to the north of the old tower . To the south of the castle is a building which may have been used as a stable block , slaughter house or chapel . This building is said to be haunted by the ghost of William Crichton .