Roslin Castle

Nearby is the famous and unique Rosslyn Chapel.

Motto

The White Lady of Roslin Castle

The Hound of Roslin

The Hound of Rosslyn can supposedly still be heard howling near Roslin Castle, on cold stormy nights. This ghost originated in the early fourteenth century during a battle in which one of the invading Englishmen had a big dog, which when his master was slain attacked the Scot who did it. Other Scots assisted by killing the dog with sword and axe.

But later that night, as the victorious Scots were relaxing in the castle, the ghost of the hound appeared and panicked them. It appeared each following evening, even though it never attacked anyone. This became accepted and normal.

Until the Scot who had killed the dog's master was on duty alone one night. That one died of terror, taking three nights to do so.

The Lay of the Last Minstrel

From Canto Sixth, XXII.

With war and wonder all on flame,

To Roslin's bowers young Harold came,

Where, by sweet glen and greenwood tree,

He learn'd a milder minstrelsy;

Yet something of the Northern spell

Mix'd with the softer numbers well.

         Harold

O listen, listen, ladies gay!

No haughty feat of arms I tell;

Soft is the note, and sad the lay,

That mourns the lovely Rosabelle.

—"Moor, moor the barge, ye gallant crew!

And gentle ladye, deign to stay!

Rest thee in Castle Ravensheuch,

Nor tempt the stormy firth to-day.

"The blackening wave is edg'd with white:

To inch and rock the sea-mews fly;

The fishers have heard the Water-Sprite,

Whose screams forebode that wreck is nigh.

"Last night the gifted Seer did view

A wet shroud swathed round ladye gay;

Then stay thee, Fair, in Ravensheuch:

Why cross the gloomy firth today?"

" 'Tis not because Lord Lindesay's heir

To-night at Roslin leads the ball,

But that my ladye-mother there

Sits lonely in her castle-hall.

" 'Tis not because the ring they ride,

And Lindesay at the ring rides well,

But that my sire the wine will chide,

If 'tis not fill'd by Rosabelle."

O'er Roslin all that dreary night

A wondrous blaze was seen to gleam;

'Twas broader than the watch-fire's light,

And redder than the bright moonbeam.

It glar'd on Roslin's castled rock,

It ruddied all the copse wood glen;

'Twas seen from Dryden's groves of oak

And seen from cavern'd Hawthorn-den.

The Hound Seen

One Saturday, near the end of February (my birthday is the 25th of February, this is why I remember it) we were exploring the second level corridor which connects the monks cells, the old scriptorium, and the dungeons, when all of a sudden we were aware of some light coming from the end of the corridor which had had the windows blocked up and there was normally no light and coming from that area, the light grew in intensity which was enough to alarm the senses of two twelve year olds, who admittedly were searching for just this kind of experience.

We both looked at each other to check that we were both aware of the phenomenon, we both turned at the same time and took off along the corridor at what seemed like record breaking speed, until we came to the old main kitchen which is a big room with a stone staircase which is built into the right hand side or the east wall of the castle as we hurried up the stair we looked down to see the light which had been growing and moving towards us down the corridor was what appeared to be a large wolfhound type dog, which ran underneath us, and appeared to go straight through the wall next to the large fireplace, which was the old main cooking area for the castle. We did not stop until we got up the staircase and through the door into the upper part of the castle.

To be suddenly met by Miss Leitch who could tell from our nervous state that something had happened, when we blurted out the story, Miss Leitch smiled and said "aye boys its an old castle, with lots of strange things like that, but dinna worry about them they will no harm ye, come and have a bottle of lemonade". Nothing more was said, we drank our lemonade and had some biscuits and the sense of fear dropped away. But, we did not go near that particular corridor for quite a long time.

Much later we looked at the wall where the apparition of the dog had disappeared to find that it had once been a doorway. The arch from the door still exists today. Miss Leitch, my friend Neils aunt, lived at the castle on her own for about twenty years as the sole caretaker and tourist guide, and many times recently, I have wished that I had spoken more to her about her experiences at the Castle, but youth rejects the wisdom of age and its only now I regret missing the opportunities, gifted to youth.