Rosslyn Chapel Ghost Stories

Since I posted the picture of the “ghost” at Rosslyn Chapel, I’ve been besieged with questions about Rosslyn being haunted. I thought I’d answer all the questions in one fail swoop recapping the ghost stories that have cropped up around the Chapel.

• In July of 2006, a group of actors rehearsing for a performance at the Chapel claimed to see a “fairy like” entity roaming around the grounds.

• Rosslyn employee Simon Beattie believes he has heard a child’s voice coming from inside the crypt when no children were present in the Chapel.

• Rumors of sightings of robed monks in and around the Chapel have persisted for years. Some have sited a gray robed monk surrounded by four knights in the crypt. Others say they have seen gray and black robed monks walking the grounds at night.

• Sir Walter Scott described a legend in Lay of the Last Minstrel that when a Prince of the Orkneys dies, the Chapel becomes awash with strange lights.

• Not far away from the Chapel lies Roslin Castle. One legend cites that a knight in black armor rides around the grounds. Other sightings on the Castle grounds include that of a large hound that bays on stormy nights. Both these legends seem to be linked to a battle that happened between English and Scottish forces in the town of Rosslyn in 1302.

Sounds like these are just the standard haunting stories that come with any old structure. One would think there would have been more sightings and haunting legends around the Chapel. If anyone has any other legends about the Chapel that they would like to share, let me know and I’ll update the list.