The Rosslyn Estate

In addition to the Chapel, Rosslyn Chapel Trust is responsible for the maintenance and repair of Rosslyn Castle and Collegehill House, both nearby, and a stretch of Roslin Glen.

The oldest part of the Rosslyn Castle is the remains of the ‘lantern’ or ‘lamp tower’ by the bridge and this was probably built around 1304. A round keep was built on the south-west corner around 1390 by Sir Henry St Clair, the second Prince of Orkney, and his son, Sir William, who was responsible for the building of Rosslyn Chapel, succeeded to the estate in 1417.

The East Range, which is still occupied, dates back to 1622. Collegehill House was built as an inn in 1660 and was known as the ‘Old Rosslyn Inn’ until it became a domestic residence in 1866. Like the Castle, it still provides accommodation, although now self-catering, in partnership with The Landmark Trust.

Connecting the Castle, Collegehill House and the Chapel is Roslin Glen, an area of outstanding natural beauty which contains the largest surviving stretch of ancient woodland in Midlothian.

Over the years, there has been little consistency in the spelling of ‘Rosslyn’ with the village of Roslin still spelled differently from the Barony for which it was named. The Trust uses the ancient spelling, Rosslyn, except when referring to the village or in quoted material.