Scotland is one of the most amazing, beautiful places I have ever been and Roslyn Castle is at the top of that list of places to stay there. Our friends Mark and Aileen made arrangements for us to stay there for 4 days. It was incredible! Roslyn castle (also spelled Roslin, Rosslyn, Roslynn and probably a few other ways I haven't listed) was mainly built in 1450 but a fully functional castle in 1622 in the midst of a picturescue wooded area with an ornate chapel and churchyard close by. It is surrounded by the River Esk on three sides of it, which can enhance paranormal activity at times. (As written in the Landmark Trust website: The Rosslyn estate The Rosslyn estate has been held by the St.Clair family since the Barony of Rosslyn was established in 1070 and its most famous landmark, Rosslyn Chapel, is just a few minutes’ walk away. The Chapel has recently undergone an extensive programme of conservation and a state-of-the-art visitor centre tells the Chapel’s story – from its 15th century origins, through the Reformation to the Da Vinci Code and beyond). Most of the castle has deteriorated and fallen except for one main area, this area was a beautiful living quarters with beautiful ancient statues, paintings, furniture, tapestries all around us. On the lower levels were the kitchen levels as well as the dungeon levels which goes deeper and deeper into the earth. Every night we investigated every part of this place. I am so blessed I got to stay there.
I also had a little heart locket of my mother's ashes which I hid in a loose rock in a wall there on the grounds, now a little piece of my heart will always be there and my mother got to finally visit Scotland, close to where our ancestors lived.
Copying this blog from Ryan O'Neill - Haunted Scotland Investigates http://haunted-scotland.co.uk/about-us/
Posted on February 18, 2018
Rosslyn Castle a VERY Haunted Scottish Location
Welcome to Rosslyn Castle a very haunted Scottish location.
The St Clare (Sinclair) family have held the lands of Roslin since 1280. The first castle built on these lands can be dated to either the late 14th or early 15th century.
The courtyard was entered via a drawbridge over an artificial ditch when first constructed, a far cry from the amazing approach we see today.
Today we only see a small portion of what would’ve been an imposing yet stunning castle, with many ruined parts now clearly visible. This is little wonder due to harsh Scottish weather, various attacks and one too many fires through the ages.
The location of the castle is also intriguing, overlooking the area known for the Battle of Roslin, where the Scots defeated the English in 1303.
Surprisingly, we do have the restored east range in perfect condition. It is entered through a richly carved doorway, dated 1622 and initialled SWS for Sir William Sinclair, which gives access to the third floor.
All five floors within the East Range are connected by a central scale-and-Platt staircase, added in the early 17th century to replace a turnpike stair in the south-west.
With this in mind, we can move on to some paranormal activity which specifically mentioned the said stairs.
Paranormal Activity
Jeanette Harvey, an Australian author, informed us on her website SistersOfTheBruce that she has come into direct contact with one of the spirits of the castle.
She tells us…
It was dusk – gloomy as charcoal, and as damp and gritty, as befits any ghost story. What did I see, you ask? A white lady perhaps drifting about, bemoaning the loss of her lover? Quite the opposite in fact!
Below me, on the stairs, I caught a glimpse of something moving! It was no spectral figure but as firm and solid-seeming as any human. His shoulder length hair was straight and dark and his outfit, rough brown homespun. He passed a few steps below me and disappeared around the corner down the stairwell. Did he see my gob-smacked look or hear my sharp intake of breath? I think not, but went on his way going about his business – perhaps as he had done for hundreds of years.
This is not the only spirit seen in this area, however.
Blood-curdling sounds can be heard at times in the woods that surround Rosslyn Castle’s lofty position. The phantom dog is blamed for these sounds, a war hound no less, one which was said to have been owned by an English Knight who was slain at the Battle of Roslin in 1303.
When a Scotsman cut down the English Knight, his hound attacked and unfortunately met the same fate as his owner.
Every night from that day the spirit of the hound would appear in the guard room of Rosslyn Castle. He would terrify the soldiers who were garrisoned there, until one night a terrifying scream would ring out over Roslin. The soldier who had slain the hound witnessed the apparition of the hound, only to die within 3 days.
After this, the hound stopped visiting.
Perhaps the soldier still walks the grounds or the phantom hound in the surrounding woodlands, for still, we have reports from many present-day witnesses.
In addition to the reports, I’ve mentioned thus far, we also have witnesses claiming to see a black shadowy looking Knight. Could this be from the battle of 1303, or perhaps even related to the famous Knights Templars, ready for more campaigns?
Finally, we have the white lady, whom may have more of a connection to the nearby Rosslyn Chapel, but we shall leave that one for later.