Clan Ruthven: A Legacy of Huntingtower, Gowrie and the Deed That Shows the Man
Introduction
Clan Ruthven is a historic Lowland Scottish clan rooted especially in Perthshire, Huntingtower Castle, the old barony of Ruthven, Perth, Scone, Gowrie, Freeland, Dirleton, and the wider noble world of medieval and early modern Scotland.
The clan motto is:
“Deid Schaw”
usually understood as:
“Deeds show”
or
“The deed shows.”
The clan crest is:
A ram’s head couped Sable, armed Or.
In simpler terms, this is a black ram’s head with golden horns. Clan references consistently give the Ruthven crest as a black ram’s head and the motto as Deid Schaw.
The historic seat is:
Huntingtower Castle, formerly known as the Place of Ruthven.
The current chief is listed as:
Patrick Leo Brer Hore-Ruthven
3rd Earl of Gowrie
Chief of the Name and Arms of Ruthven
Modern clan summaries identify him as successor to Grey Ruthven, 2nd Earl of Gowrie, who died in 2021.
Chapter I: Origins of Clan Ruthven
The surname Ruthven is territorial.
It comes from lands called Ruthven, strongly associated with Perthshire. The name is often linked with Gaelic forms such as Ruadhainn, sometimes interpreted in relation to a red place, red river, or reddish land. Modern tartan and clan sources connect the name with the old Ruthven lands in Perthshire.
Historic spellings and forms include:
Ruthven
Ruthen
Rothven
Rothveyn
Rothwen
Ruthfen
Ruffin
Ruthwein
Ruthyn
Rythven
Gowrie
Modern clan summaries list many of these as septs or associated names of Clan Ruthven.
Clan Ruthven’s story belongs to the Lowland world of baronies, castles, royal office, political intrigue, regency politics, earldoms, forfeiture and restoration.
It is a clan of striking contrasts: noble service, high office, royal favour, scandal, conspiracy and survival.
Its motto is blunt and memorable:
Deid Schaw — Deeds show.
Chapter II: Clan Territory and Ancestral Lands
Clan Ruthven’s historic associations include:
Perthshire
Ruthven
Huntingtower Castle
Perth
Scone
Scone Abbey
Scone Palace
Gowrie House
Freeland
Dirleton Castle
Trochrie Castle
The wider Scottish diaspora
The great historic seat was:
Huntingtower Castle
Huntingtower Castle was originally called the Place of Ruthven and was named after the Ruthven family. A recent heritage article notes that the Ruthvens settled in Perthshire in the 1100s, and that the castle later became known as Huntingtower.
Other Ruthven-associated places include:
Scone Palace
Gowrie House
Freeland House
Dirleton Castle
Trochrie Castle
Modern clan summaries list these among castles and houses connected with Clan Ruthven.
The Ruthven landscape is a Perthshire political landscape: close to Perth, close to Scone, close to the old coronation heart of Scotland, and close to the machinery of royal power.
Chapter III: Important People of Clan Ruthven
The Early Ruthvens of Perthshire
The Ruthvens were established in Perthshire by the medieval period and became one of the notable families of the region.
Their name became tied to the Place of Ruthven, later Huntingtower Castle, which served as the family’s great stronghold.
William Ruthven, Lord Ruthven
The Ruthvens rose into the Scottish peerage as Lords Ruthven.
This elevated the family from regional landholding into the higher noble politics of Scotland.
William Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie
One of the most important figures in clan history was William Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie.
He served as Treasurer of Scotland during the minority of James VI and was created Earl of Gowrie in 1581. Clan Central summarises this rise and notes his political importance during the young king’s reign.
The Raid of Ruthven
William Ruthven became central to one of the most dramatic political episodes of James VI’s youth:
The Raid of Ruthven in 1582.
In this event, Protestant nobles seized control of the young King James VI at the Ruthven stronghold. It was framed by the conspirators as an act to protect the king from bad influences, but it was also a direct seizure of royal authority.
This event made the Ruthven name famous — and dangerous.
John Ruthven, 3rd Earl of Gowrie
The Ruthven family became even more controversial through John Ruthven, 3rd Earl of Gowrie, connected with the so-called Gowrie Conspiracy of 1600.
The exact truth of the Gowrie affair has been debated for centuries. What is clear is that it ended in catastrophe for the Ruthvens, with the deaths of the Earl of Gowrie and his brother, and the forfeiture of the family’s honours and estates.
The Ruthvens of Freeland
A separate line, the Ruthvens of Freeland, preserved the name’s noble continuity after the fall of the Gowrie line.
Freeland became an important later branch of the family and helped carry Ruthven identity forward.
The Hore-Ruthven Earls of Gowrie
The Gowrie title was later revived in the modern period for the Hore-Ruthven family.
Sir Alexander Hore-Ruthven of Freeland, Governor-General of Australia, was created Earl of Gowrie in 1945, and the Scottish Register of Tartans specifically notes this modern revival in its Ruthven tartan entry.
Patrick Leo Brer Hore-Ruthven, 3rd Earl of Gowrie
The current chief is listed as:
Patrick Leo Brer Hore-Ruthven
3rd Earl of Gowrie
Chief of the Name and Arms of Ruthven
He succeeded after the death of Grey Ruthven, 2nd Earl of Gowrie, in 2021.
Chapter IV: Castles, Houses and Historic Sites
Huntingtower Castle
Huntingtower Castle is the great historic seat of Clan Ruthven.
It was originally known as the Place of Ruthven, named after the family. By the 1500s, it had developed into a complex stronghold associated with the power and politics of the Ruthvens.
For Clan Ruthven, Huntingtower represents:
Chiefship
Perthshire roots
The Place of Ruthven
The Raid of Ruthven
Gowrie power
The rise and fall of a noble house
Gowrie House
Gowrie House in Perth became central to the later Ruthven story because of the Gowrie Conspiracy.
It represents one of the most mysterious and politically explosive events in the history of the clan.
Scone Abbey and Scone Palace
Scone was the ceremonial heart of Scottish kingship.
Clan Ruthven’s proximity to Scone and Perth placed the family near the symbolic centre of royal Scotland.
Modern clan summaries include Scone Abbey and Scone Palace among Ruthven-associated sites.
Dirleton Castle
Dirleton Castle came into Ruthven hands through marriage.
A recent history article notes that Dirleton came into Ruthven possession when William Ruthven married Janet Haliburton, heiress to the castle.
This shows the clan’s reach beyond Perthshire into the noble castle world of East Lothian.
Freeland House
Freeland House became associated with the Ruthvens of Freeland, one of the key lines by which the name continued after the Gowrie disaster.
Modern summaries list Freeland House as an important Ruthven-associated property.
Trochrie Castle
Trochrie Castle is also listed among Ruthven-associated sites, reflecting the wider spread of the family’s estates and branches.
Chapter V: Politics, Intrigue and Clan Events
Clan Ruthven history is shaped by power, ambition, royal proximity and political danger.
Rise in Royal Service
The Ruthvens rose to high office in Scotland.
Their elevation to Lords Ruthven and later Earls of Gowrie shows how powerful the family became in the 16th century.
The Raid of Ruthven — 1582
The Raid of Ruthven was one of the defining events of the clan’s history.
In 1582, William Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie, and allied Protestant nobles seized the young James VI and held him under their control. It was a bold political act that demonstrated Ruthven power — but also placed the family in permanent danger from royal revenge.
Fall of the 1st Earl of Gowrie
After James VI escaped the control of the Ruthven faction, Gowrie’s fortunes collapsed.
The Ruthven rise had been extraordinary, but the family had placed itself too close to the dangerous centre of royal politics.
The Gowrie Conspiracy — 1600
The Gowrie Conspiracy of 1600 remains one of the most mysterious episodes in Scottish history.
The official version accused John Ruthven, 3rd Earl of Gowrie, and his brother Alexander Ruthven of attempting to kidnap or murder King James VI. The Ruthven brothers died, and the family’s name was attacked, punished and forfeited.
Whether the conspiracy was exactly as described by the king has long been debated, but the consequences for Clan Ruthven were devastating.
Forfeiture and Survival
After the Gowrie affair, the Ruthven name suffered heavily.
Yet the clan did not disappear.
Through branches such as Ruthven of Freeland, and through later restoration and revival of titles, the name survived political catastrophe.
Modern Revival of the Gowrie Title
The creation of the modern Earldom of Gowrie in 1945 for Sir Alexander Hore-Ruthven of Freeland gave the name renewed noble visibility. The Scottish Register of Tartans explicitly links this modern creation to the Ruthven/Gowrie story.
Chapter VI: Clan Crest, Motto and Badge
Clan Crest
The Ruthven crest is:
A ram’s head couped Sable, armed Or.
This means a black ram’s head with golden horns.
The ram suggests:
Strength
Defiance
Leadership
Stubborn resolve
Determination under pressure
A family that charges forward
The black colouring adds a stark heraldic power, while the golden horns suggest nobility and force.
Clan Motto
The clan motto is:
“Deid Schaw”
This is old Scots and is usually interpreted as:
“Deeds show.”
It means:
Actions reveal character
A person is known by what they do
Words are not enough
Honour must be proven in action
For Clan Ruthven, the motto is highly fitting.
Few clans have a history where deeds — bold, dangerous, brilliant and catastrophic — revealed so much.
Clan Badge
A distinct plant badge for Clan Ruthven is not consistently recorded in major clan references.
For accuracy, the strongest Ruthven symbols are:
The black ram’s head
The motto “Deid Schaw”
Huntingtower Castle
The Place of Ruthven
The Earls of Gowrie
The Ruthven tartan
Perthshire political history
Chapter VII: Clan Ruthven Tartan
Ruthven Tartan
The Ruthven tartan is recorded by the Scottish Register of Tartans under reference 3622.
The Register notes that the Ruthven tartan was not named until the publication of the Vestiarium Scoticum in 1842. It also links the name to the old Barony of Ruthven and the Earls of Gowrie at the time of James VI.
Ruthven Ancient and Modern Tartans
Modern suppliers commonly offer Ruthven tartan in:
Ancient
Modern
ScotlandShop lists Ruthven Ancient and Ruthven Modern as available variations.
The usual distinction is dye tone:
Ancient colours are softer and lighter.
Modern colours are deeper and stronger.
Weathered colours, where available, are muted and aged.
Dress variants, where available, are usually brighter or more formal.
The Meaning of Ruthven Tartan Today
For modern Ruthven descendants, tartan represents:
Perthshire roots
Huntingtower Castle
The old Place of Ruthven
The Earls of Gowrie
The motto “Deeds show”
The ram’s head crest
Family pride and diaspora identity
The Ruthven tartan gives this dramatic Lowland clan a visible and wearable Scottish identity.
Chapter VIII: Heritage, Identity and Clan Traditions
Clan Ruthven represents a Scottish identity built on noble ambition, action, risk and survival after catastrophe.
Its story includes:
The old lands of Ruthven
Perthshire settlement
Huntingtower Castle
The Place of Ruthven
The Lords Ruthven
The Earls of Gowrie
The Raid of Ruthven
The Gowrie Conspiracy
The Ruthvens of Freeland
The modern Earls of Gowrie
The ram’s head crest
The motto “Deid Schaw”
The Ruthven tartan
A living recognised chief
Associated names include:
Gowrie
Rothven
Rothveyn
Rothwen
Ruthen
Ruthfen
Ruffin
Ruthwein
Ruthyn
Rythven
Modern clan summaries list these as Ruthven septs or associated names.
The Ruthven story is one of Scotland’s most dramatic noble histories: powerful, dangerous, politically explosive and impossible to ignore.
Chapter IX: Clan Ruthven Today
Today, Clan Ruthven remains a recognised Scottish clan with a living chief.
The current chief is listed as:
Patrick Leo Brer Hore-Ruthven
3rd Earl of Gowrie
Chief of the Name and Arms of Ruthven
The historic seat is:
Huntingtower Castle
Modern clan summaries identify Huntingtower Castle as the historic seat and the 3rd Earl of Gowrie as current chief.
Modern Clan Ruthven identity can be found through:
Family history research
Tartan wearing
Study of Huntingtower Castle
Research into the Raid of Ruthven
Research into the Gowrie Conspiracy
Scottish heritage events
Diaspora family networks
For Ruthven descendants, the best first step is to trace the family’s region:
Perthshire?
Huntingtower?
Gowrie?
Freeland?
Dirleton?
Scone?
Ulster?
Canada?
Australia?
New Zealand?
The United States?
That will determine the strongest family-history path.
Chapter X: Legacy of Clan Ruthven
The story of Clan Ruthven begins in Perthshire and rises into the dangerous heart of Scottish royal politics.
From Ruthven lands came the name.
From Huntingtower came the stronghold.
From the Earls of Gowrie came ambition.
From the Raid of Ruthven came power.
From the Gowrie Conspiracy came ruin, mystery and legend.
Its crest, the black ram’s head, speaks of force, leadership and stubborn courage.
Its motto gives the clan its voice:
Deid Schaw — Deeds show.
That phrase captures the Ruthven spirit: words may be forgotten, titles may be lost, castles may change hands, but deeds reveal the truth of a name.
From Huntingtower to Gowrie, from Perthshire to descendants across the world, Clan Ruthven continues to carry its history forward.
Its legacy is written in tartan, ram’s horns, royal intrigue, old castles, forfeited honours, restored titles, family records and the pride of those who still honour the name.
Tartan Time Machine Closing Paragraph
At Tartan Time Machine, we bring Scotland’s past into the present by exploring the clans, castles, battles, kirkyards, legends and forgotten stories that shaped the nation.
Clan Ruthven is one chapter in that greater story — a story of Perthshire roots, Huntingtower Castle, Gowrie power, royal intrigue, ram’s head crests, tartans and the hard old Scots motto: Deeds show.
Discover more Scottish history, clan stories, castle features and heritage content at:
www.tartantimemachine.com