Balantrodoch Temple

Scottish Templars at
Balantrodoch and Roslin

By
Sir Knight Sanford Holst
alantrodoch was the Knights echoed to their footsteps still remain.
B Templar headquarters just out- After services the knights walked

side Edinburgh. If you can find a to their manor house, located where
way to include Scotland in your travel the small town of Temple stands today.
plans, it is definitely worth a visit to From the main road, you turn left into
Balantrodoch. Here you experience the lane between the houses and con-
a little of Templar life the way it was tinue into an open field. There you find
when their encampment flourished a stone arch that is believed to have
during the Crusades. been their gatehouse entry. The manor
The most visible sign of that storied would have rested just beyond, among
past is now the ancient Templar church the cluster of trees.
where they came to kneel and pray in One of the most intriguing things
white robes embroidered with their large about this preceptory was that it stood
red cross. The roof of the church is long only four miles from the castle of the
since gone, but the solid walls that once St. Clair baronsthe builders of Ross-
The old church still stands in Balantrodoch.

knight templar 11
lyn Chapel. When Freemasonry
emerged many years later, that
family provided the first Grand
Master of Scotland. As a result,
legends abound that the St. Clairs
were part of a link between Ma-
sonry and the Templars.
From Balantrodoch, Templars
riding northwest on their horses
could be sitting at the St. Clairs
dining table within half an hour.
Whether the Templars came seek-
ing donations or on more pro-
found matters we do not know.
But they continued to be close
neighbors for almost 180 years.
From Roslin it was only an hours
Entry way to the Templar manor at Balantrodoch.
ride north to Edinburgh Castle.
History century, they began to raise Rosslyn Cha-

pel which added more fuel to the fire
Hugh de Payens, the first Grand Mas- of esoteric activities and connections
ter of the Knights Templar, came riding to the Knights Templar. The castle and
into Scotland in 1128 to recruit knights Rosslyn Chapel can still be seen today.
and seek donations of land and gold. He
received the gift of Balantrodoch and
made it his major Scottish encampment. Edinburgh and the
Although some suggest that this dona-
tion came from the St. Clairs, it is now Grand Lodge
generally agreed that it was given by
King David I of Scotland. Edinburgh Castle stands at one end
However, de Payens had gone on of the popular Royal Mile district, and
the First Crusade with Sir Henry St. Holyrood Abbey is at the other. Now in
Clair, so some financial or other sup- ruins, this abbey was the site of the Scot-
port would reasonably have been giv- tish Templars trials in 1309.
en by the baron. A half mile north of the castle you
find the Grand Lodge of Scotland. Grand
Roslin Secretary David Begg was graciously
supportive when we talked about the re-
Around 1307 the St. Clairs began to search I was doing into the early days of
build their new castle in Roslin at the Freemasonry. Curator Robert L. D. Coo-
same time the Templars were attacked per provided information about Rosslyn
by king and Church. During the following Chapel that was much appreciated.
12 august 2012
Grand Lodge of Scotland
To Get There 96 George Street
Edinburgh, Scotland EH2 3DH
A city bus runs from central Edin- Telephone: 44-131-225-5577
burgh to Roslin making that an easy trip. www.grandlodgescotland.com
Getting to Balantrodoch is a little more
adventurous. A city bus also goes in that
direction but only as far as Gorebridge Sir Knight Sanford Holst is the author of
which is two miles away. A better plan Sworn in Secret: Freemasonry and the
Knights Templar. He is an historian who
is to hire a car which lets you visit Balan-
lectures at universities in the United
trodoch and Roslin on the same day. States and overseas. Holst is also Senior
Warden of the Southern California Re-
Rosslyn Chapel search Lodge, a 32o Mason, and a mem-
Chapel Loan ber of the Los Angeles Commandery No.
Roslin, Scotland EH25 9PU 9 Drill Team. His websites include www.
Telephone: 44-131-440-2159 MasonicSourcebook.com which is read
www.rosslynchapel.com by 600,000 people each year. He can be
contacted at:
[email protected].
knight templar 13

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Scottish Templars at

Balantrodoch and Roslin

alantrodoch was the Knights echoed to their footsteps still remain.

B Templar headquarters just out- After services the knights walked

The old church still stands in Balantrodoch.

History century, they began to raise Rosslyn Cha-

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