The large plaque on the front of the Sherriff Court in Tay Street records the events of the 5th August 1600 when an attempt was made on the life of James VI.
The Gowrie House was built in 1520 by the Countess of Huntly who later sold it to the Ruthven family. After the Gowrie conspiracy the Ruthven family, who were considered responsible for the attack on the king, forfeited the building which was then held jointly by the Murrays of Stormont and Perth Town Council.
Charles II stayed in Gowrie House after his Scottish coronation in Scone in 1651 before departing for Worcester. After the Restoration he returned in 1663 to be entertained in Gowrie House by the Earl of Kinnoull. In 1746 the house was given by Perth Town Council to the Duke of Cumberland who sold it to the Board of Ordinance for use as cavalry barracks until its demolition in 1807. (The Stewart Society)
The building occupied an area greater than the County Buildings and the Prison, now a car park, which were erected on the site following the demolition of Gowrie House. The river frontage of the grounds extended for 275 metres from a line beyond the present-day Canal Street to past the South Street and the Custom House before ending at the Water Vennel.
