Rosslin Castle consists of a ruined 14th-century rounded tower, altered and extended with ranges of buildings and towers in the 15th and 16th centuries. It also features in the film the The Da Vinci Code.
The castle was sacked and torched by the Earl of Hertford in 1544, was visited by Mary Queen of Scots, during a progress in 1563, and was attacked again in 1650 by Monck during Cromwell’s invasion of Scotland. A mob also damaged the castle in 1688.
The property was passed by marriage to the St Clair-Erskines, who were made Earls of Rosslyn in 1802, who still own the castle today.
The grounds also feature a 800 year old yew tree which had offerings on it as you can see from our picture below.
We didn’t get to go inside this beautiful ruin but we did take a good look around and even got a glimpse in what appeared to look like cells.
The walk to and from the castle is worth a visit alone. The surrounding woodland around it is very picturesque.
Ghosts:
The spectre of a dog, killed with its English master after a battle in the glen in 1303, reputedly haunts the castle, and its howling has been reported.
There are also stories of a spectre of a black knight on a black horse being seen in the glen. A great treasure is said to be buried within the old castle, and there is reputed to be a ‘White Lady’ who guards it. She can only be woken and the treasure found by blowing a trumpet when standing on the correct step of one of the staircases