Roslin Castle
| Roslin Castle | ||
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 View over the bridge to the castle courtyard |
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| Creation time : | 14th to 17th century | |
| Castle type : | Spurburg | |
| Conservation status: | half ruin, half habitable | |
| Construction: | stone | |
| Place: | Roslin , Midlothian | |
| Geographical location | 55 ° 51 '9.8 " N , 3 ° 9' 35.9" W | |
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Roslin Castle (also spelled Rosslyn ) is the ruined spur castle near Roslin in Midlothian , Scotland , 15 kilometers south of Edinburgh .
location
The castle stands on the north side of the North Esk River on a ridge surrounded on three sides by the river valley. On the fourth side of the complex, a ditch was dug into the rock and access to the castle was made via a high bridge. This is how one of the most impressive entrance areas of a castle in Scotland was created. The Rosslyn Chapel is a few hundred meters away and significantly higher up .
history
The oldest parts of Roslin Castle date back to before 1305. The castle has been one of the most important strongholds of the Sinclair family since the times of Henry Sinclair . The construction of the residential tower is mostly attributed to William Sinclair , but it could also have been completed in 1390. In 1452 (according to other sources 1442 or 1447) the castle burned down due to an accident and was then no longer used by the Sinclairs to the previous extent. During various wars and uprisings, the castle was also attacked and badly damaged in 1544, 1650 and 1688. The attack in 1650 left the greatest damage to the exterior of the castle, as it was already carried out with artillery that could be positioned on the hilltops in the area, which are higher than the castle itself. The property has been owned by the Earl of Rosslyn since the early 19th century .
architecture
The castle complex consists of a central residential tower built in the 14th century and various additions from the two following centuries. The large rectangular residential building on the east side with the protruding tower on the southeast corner is still largely intact. Only the lower parts of two side walls remain of the residential tower. From the buildings to the left and right of the bridge at the entrance to the castle, some remains of the wall have survived.
The lower three floors of the main building all still have stone vaulted ceilings. Above is the former main hall, on whose large chimney the year 1597 is engraved. There is another fireplace in the kitchen. The fourth and fifth floors were rebuilt in the 17th century, but the older ornate plastered ceilings were retained. The completion of the renovation is dated to 1622 based on a year above the entrance door of the main building.
The original access was from the east, initially via a bridge over the river, parts of which are still visible. Then the path led under the access bridge and then in a loop to the castle gate.
The castle today
Roslin Castle was one of the filming locations for The Da Vinci Code . The main building is rented out as a holiday home by the Landmark Trust , the rest of the complex can be freely entered and viewed.
photos
Drawing of the state from 1791
Access bridge
Wall remains
South wall of the main building
main building
References and comments
- ↑ Assessment according to Coventry: The Castles of Scotland . S. 570 .
- ↑ a b c d Representation of the castle on the Rosslyn Chapel Trust website . Retrieved March 2, 2020.
- ↑ a b Description of Roslin Castle on the website of the book The Castles of Scotland . Retrieved March 1, 2020.
- ↑ a b c Illustration and timeline of Roslin Castle on burgenwelt.org . Retrieved March 2, 2020.
- ↑ a b Description of Roslin Castle on undiscoveredscotland.co.uk . Retrieved March 2, 2020.
- ↑ Presentation of the holiday home on the Landmark Trust website. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
literature
- Martin Coventry: The Castles of Scotland . 5th edition. Goblinshead, Prestonpans 2015, ISBN 978-1-899874-56-9 , pp. 570 f .
Web links
- Scheduled Monument - entry . In: Historic Scotland .
- Listed Building Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
- Entry on Roslin Castle in Canmore, Historic Environment Scotland database