Our approach to sustainability
Rosslyn Chapel Trust is responsible for the care, management and conservation of three historic buildings –
- Rosslyn Chapel (Category A Listed) and its visitor centre
- Rosslyn Castle (Category A listed)
- Collegehill House (category B Listed)
As well as an area of the surrounding historic landscape known as
- Roslin Glen
Rosslyn Chapel is open to visitors throughout the year. The East Range of Rosslyn Castle and Collegehill House are available for self-catering holiday accommodation although the Castle is currently closed for a major project of restoration and repair. Roslin Glen is accessible to walkers throughout the year and around 36 acres are in our care.
As a charity, the Trust depends on income from visitors, donations and legacies to continue with its work so that these places can be enjoyed and appreciated by future generations. You can make a donation by following this link: support our work.
Working in a sustainable way
We try to work in a sustainable way which minimises our impact on the environment. This is put into practice in a number of ways; some examples are given below.
In our buildings
- We work with a Scottish company to inspect the Chapel's stonework and guide its conservation
- We have LED lighting inside the Chapel and sensors in the visitor centre toilets to ensure that lights are switched off when not required
- We reuse paper where possible and work with local company, Changeworks, for recycling. Since November 2022, our recycling has diverted carbon, saving the equivalent of one HGV truck driving 3,754.88km!
- Our rainwater harvester helps to recycle water for the toilets in the visitor centre
- Our biomass boiler provides environmentally-friendly heating for the Chapel, Visitor Centre and Collegehill House. When it reopens, the East Range of Rosslyn Castle will be heated by air source heat pumps.
- Inside the Chapel, the sand under the votive candles comes from recycled glass from bottles in our coffee shop!
In our land management
- We work with a Scottish company to undertake an annual survey and inspection of key trees in the grounds of the Chapel and Castle and in Roslin Glen
- In 2022, we planted 70 trees in Roslin Glen as part of the ‘Queen’s Green Canopy‘ initiative: read more here.
- In May 2023, we introduced four beehives into the Chapel grounds in a partnership with Webster Honey: watch the video here
In our transport
- Using an electric van for our own business use
- Having bike racks in our carpark
- Having charging points in our carpark for electric vehicles
- Encouraging visitors to visit the Chapel by public transport where possible. We estimate that around 30% of visitors come to the Chapel by public transport: see more details here.
In our suppliers
- Our Coffee Shop has a ‘Taste our Best’ award from VisitScotland because most of our suppliers are from Scotland
- We work with some great Scottish suppliers to provide items for the Gift Shop in our visitor centre
- Paper for our guidebooks, leaflets and other printed material is FSC certified and comes from responsible sources
In our community
- Residents who live in the EH25 postcode area can apply for a free annual pass for Rosslyn Chapel: read more here
- We work very closely with schools in the area and, in particular, with Roslin Primary School
- We work increasingly in the local community and have supported several local causes in recent years
Committing to sustainability
Rosslyn Chapel Trust is a member of Green Tourism and holds a gold award. We have also signed up to support the Midlothian Business Green Pledge.
