DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61904#0168
156 ROSLIN CHAPEL AND CASTLE.
It would leave but a very imperfect idea of Rollin and its
locality, did we omit to mention that near it ftands Hawthorn-
den, the houfe of the poet Drummond, the friend of Shak-
speare and Ben Jonfon. We believe the place is ftill in the
pofleflion of a defcendant of the family. It ftands on a pre-
cipitous rock overhanging the fouth bank of the river. We
cannot do better than tranfcribe the account of it given by
Robert Chambers, in his “ Picture of Scotland.”
“ Hawthornden may be defcribed as a manor-houfe of the
reign of Charles I., engrafted on the ruins of an ancient
baronial caftle. On one fide its walls rife diredtly from the
brink of a deep precipice ; on the other, they adjoin to a level
and well-cultivated domain. The walks around the houfe are
peculiarly fine, being chiefly laid throughout the beautiful vale
of the Efk. Admiflion to them can only be obtained by an
order from the proprietor.
“ What muft add greatly to the charm of Hawthornden, is,
that the prefent houfe was built by the poet : as is teftified by
an infcription on the front. Many of the minor localities
around the houfe are aflbciated with his name ; as an arbour
where he ufed to fit at his long daily mufings, and a fummer-
houfe where he is faid to have often taken his food. But
perhaps the moft interefting of all the neighbouring objects,
is a large tree near the place where the external gate of the
court-yard formerly flood—a tree which feems to have adted
the part of the Covin tree. This Covin or Coglin tree
flood in front of old manfion-houfes in Scotland, and to it the
hoft attended his guefts bare-headed on their departure.
“ Ben Jonfon, it is generally known, walked all the way
from London on foot to fee Drummond at this his paternal
refidence. Regarding this vifit, tradition records a circumftance
fo charadteriftic and fo probable, that I can not but believe it
It would leave but a very imperfect idea of Rollin and its
locality, did we omit to mention that near it ftands Hawthorn-
den, the houfe of the poet Drummond, the friend of Shak-
speare and Ben Jonfon. We believe the place is ftill in the
pofleflion of a defcendant of the family. It ftands on a pre-
cipitous rock overhanging the fouth bank of the river. We
cannot do better than tranfcribe the account of it given by
Robert Chambers, in his “ Picture of Scotland.”
“ Hawthornden may be defcribed as a manor-houfe of the
reign of Charles I., engrafted on the ruins of an ancient
baronial caftle. On one fide its walls rife diredtly from the
brink of a deep precipice ; on the other, they adjoin to a level
and well-cultivated domain. The walks around the houfe are
peculiarly fine, being chiefly laid throughout the beautiful vale
of the Efk. Admiflion to them can only be obtained by an
order from the proprietor.
“ What muft add greatly to the charm of Hawthornden, is,
that the prefent houfe was built by the poet : as is teftified by
an infcription on the front. Many of the minor localities
around the houfe are aflbciated with his name ; as an arbour
where he ufed to fit at his long daily mufings, and a fummer-
houfe where he is faid to have often taken his food. But
perhaps the moft interefting of all the neighbouring objects,
is a large tree near the place where the external gate of the
court-yard formerly flood—a tree which feems to have adted
the part of the Covin tree. This Covin or Coglin tree
flood in front of old manfion-houfes in Scotland, and to it the
hoft attended his guefts bare-headed on their departure.
“ Ben Jonfon, it is generally known, walked all the way
from London on foot to fee Drummond at this his paternal
refidence. Regarding this vifit, tradition records a circumftance
fo charadteriftic and fo probable, that I can not but believe it