I believe the Wilson family were Knights Templar who may be kin to the Sinclair family. Baron Thomas Wilson was born and died at Ravenscraig. He must have lived here with his Bohemian wife, Ada Antionette Erasmus. There must have been a existing castle that was remodeled. Ada is of the Seinsheim family that died out in the male line in 1965, but was revived along the female line. I doubt they knew about the Wilson line. This is the only thing that come close to the Da Vince Code that stars the Sinclair Clan.
https://www.rosslynchapel.com/about/sinclair-castles-in-scotland/
John Presco
Princess “ada” Antoinette Erasmus
She is married to Sir John Robert Wilson in the year 1449 at Midlothian, Scotland, she was 24 years old.
- He was born about 1401 in Ravenscraig Castle, Cupar, Fifeshire, Scotland.
- He died about 1475 in Middle Temple, London, Middlesex, England.
Child(ren):
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William Wilson 1435-1500
Ravenscraig Castle, Kirkcaldy, Fife
King James III granted Ravenscraig Castle, by Kirkcaldy, to William Sinclair in 1470 as compensation for resigning the earldom of Orkney and lordship of Shetland to the Crown. Originally built as a royal residence, the Sinclairs transformed it into the well-defended fort we see today. Over the central vaults, where Mary would have built her great hall, the Sinclairs instead installed a gun platform in the mid-1500s.
The castle’s central entrance passage was approached by bridge over the deep rock-cut ditch. Inside was a guardroom, the rest of the central block taken up by cellars. The west tower housed the owner’s four-floor apartment and the east tower housed the well and apartments for the owner’s senior officials. The courtyard housed the kitchen, bakehouse and other offices.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Temple
Mary of Gueldres ordered work on the castle to continue, and by 1461 some £600 had been spent and enough of the east tower was complete to allow the queen and her retainers to spend the better part of a month here. Mary died in 1463 and in 1470 her son, James III, awarded the castle to William Sinclair, Earl of Caithness as part of a deal that saw the Earl’s titles and estates in Orkney and Shetland transfer to the Crown. The castle remained an important and powerful residence, and was visited by James V in 1540 and James VI in 1598.
The Middle Temple is the western part of “The Temple“, which was the headquarters of the Knights Templar until they were dissolved in 1312. There have been lawyers in the Temple since 1320, when they were the tenants of the Earl of Lancaster, who had held the Temple since 1315.[2] The Temple later belonged to the Knights Hospitallers. In 1346 the knights again leased the premises to the lawyers – the eastern part (which became Inner Temple) to lawyers from Thavie’s Inn, an Inn of Chancery in Holborn, and the western part to lawyers from St George’s Inn.[3] The Cross of St George is still part of the arms of Middle Temple today.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Temple
https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/kirkcaldy/ravenscraigcastle/index.html
https://www.geni.com/people/Antoinette-Erasmus/6000000025385921748
https://www.geni.com/people/John-Wilson/6000000020032182114?through=6000000025385921748
http://herschbergemigrants.com/stammbaum/erasmus-ada-antoinette/
– House of Schwarzenberg – The family was first mentioned in 1172. A branch of the Seinsheim family (genealogy, the non-Schwarzenberg portion died out in 1958) was created when Erkinger I of Seinsheim acquired the Franconian barony of Schwarzenberg, the castle Schwarzenberg and the title Baron of Schwarzenberg, in 1405–21. At this time, they also possessed some fiefdoms in Bohemia. In 1599 the Schwarzenbergs were elevated to Counts and in 1670 to Princes. The House of Schwarzenberg came into extensive land holdings in Bohemia in 1661 through a marriage alliance with the House of Eggenberg. In the 1670s, they established their primary seat in Bohemia. Until 1918 their primary residence was in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Český_Krumlov Český Krumlov], Bohemia (now in the Czech Republic). In the late 18th century, the House of Schwarzenberg was divided into two titled lines (majorats). The elder line died out in the male line in 1965 with Heinrich Schwarzenberg, the 11th Prince of Schwarzenberg. The second line was established with Prince Karl Philipp of Schwarzenberg at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orlík_nad_Vltavou Orlík], Murau and Vienna. Today the two lines are united under the current head of the house, Prince Karl VII of Schwarzenberg wikipedia aka. Karel, Prince of Schwarzenberg (born Karl Johannes Nepomuk Joseph Norbert Friedrich Antonius Wratislaw Menas), 7. Fürst zu Schwarzenberg (Second Majorat), Herzog von Krummau (12/10/1937 Prague, Bohemia – ) politician, leader of Top 09 party, current [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minister_of_Foreign_Affairs_(Czech_Republic) Minister of Foreign Affairs] who took office as Foreign Minister in July 2010, and also occupied the position from 2007-09…
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| Erkinger IV Of Senshiem 1st Baron Of Schwarzenberg 1362-1437 |
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History
James II acquired the lands of Ravenscraig Castle in 1460. Work immediately began on construction of a residence for his wife, Queen Mary of Gueldres.
Within five months, James II was killed by one of his own guns at the siege of Roxburgh. Mary pressed on with the castle’s construction regardless, and in 1461 it was completed to such a state where her house staff were able to stay there for 25 days.
It’s unclear whether Mary herself stayed at the castle before her death in 1463. She never saw a finished castle at Ravenscraig – the only parts completed by her death were the east tower and foundations of a central range.
Mary’s son, James III, granted the still-unfinished castle to William Sinclair in 1470. It was compensation for resigning the earldom of Orkney and lordship of Shetland to the Crown. He became earl of Caithness at the same time.
https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/LTT2-XJ6/lady-ada-antoinette-erasmus-1430-1480
https://www.geni.com/people/Thomas-Wilson/6000000035305918203
Sir Thomas Vii “talbot” Wilson, Earl Of Cuper, Baron Wilson Of Temple
- He was born about 1401 in Ravenscraig Castle, Cupar, Fifeshire, Scotland.
- He died about 1475 in Middle Temple, London, Middlesex, England.
He was born about 1315 in Runswick Manor, Yorkshire, England.
- He died about 1361 in Whitby Castle, North Riding, Yorkshire, England.
https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/ravenscraig-castle/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ravenscraig_Castle
The construction of Ravenscraig Castle by the mason Henry Merlion and the master carpenter Friar Andres Lesouris was ordered by King James II (reigned 1437-1460) as a home for his wife, Mary of Guelders.[1][2] The castle is considered one of the first – perhaps the very first – in Scotland to be built to withstand cannon fire and provide for artillery defence.[2] The king was involved with the planning but, ironically, was killed in a tragic accident with a loaded cannon at the Siege of Roxburgh Castle near Floors Castle in the Scottish Borders.[3] The castle was eventually started around 1460 by his wife, Mary of Guelders, as a memorial to him and as a dower house.[4] Mary of Guelders lived in the castle until her death in 1463, when only the east tower and the basement of the central section were built.[5] Ownership passed to her son James III (reigned 1460-1488) but in 1471 he gave the castle to William Sinclair, Earl of Orkney and Caithness in exchange for the Earldom of Orkney and associated lands which James annexed from Norway to the Scottish Crown.[6] After 1471 Ravenscraig was finally completed by the Sinclairs, who also had an interest in artillery fortifications.[1]
During the 1650-51 invasion of Scotland by English forces under Oliver Cromwell, Ravenscraig was invaded, attacked and damaged.[7][6][8] The castle remained in the ownership of the Sinclairs, who built nearby Dysart House (1755-1756) on the estate, and later passed to the Sinclair-Erskines, Earls of Rosslyn. The estate and castle remained in the family until sold in 1896, by the 5th Earl, to linoleum magnate Sir Michael Nairn who lived in Dysart House.[9]
‘When I decided to write The Da Vinci Code, I knew that its finale would have to take place at the most mysterious and magical chapel on earth — Rosslyn.’
Dan Brown
‘Rosslyn Chapel was all one could imagine or hope for.’
Tom Hanks
Rosslyn Chapel came to worldwide prominence through The Da Vinci Code, a novel written by Dan Brown, which was published in 2003. In the story, the main characters, Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu, investigate a murder in the Louvre and, in doing so, follow a set of clues to unravel a mystery, taking them to London and then to Rosslyn Chapel. It is estimated that 81 million copies of the book have been published, making it one of the most popular of all time.
In 2006, a film was made, based on the book. Most of the interior scenes of the Chapel were filmed here, and the main actors Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou, were on site for a few days. The aerial view of the Chapel in the film was based on a model, created especially for the film, because the Chapel itself was under scaffolding at the time. In the film, the characters enter the Chapel by the west door and replica walls were created to keep the scaffolding out of view (see image).
After filming, Tom Hanks said: ‘Few locations in film are so delightful and few destinations live up to their billing, but Rosslyn Chapel was all one could imagine or hope for.’
The Da Vinci Code has had a profound impact on visitor numbers at the Chapel which grew to over 176,000 at their peak, allowing the Trust to complete its major conservation project.
To mark the 10th anniversary of the film’s release, two special outdoor screenings took place in September 2016 – click here for details.
The castle was used as an ammunition depot during the First World War.[7] In 1929, 85 acres (34 ha) of the estate, including the castle, was given to the town of Kirkcaldy by the Nairn family as a public park.[10] Ravenscraig Castle was passed into state care in 1955 and has been open to the public by the owners Historic Scotland since 1971.[8][11][7] It is now managed by Historic Scotland, and is protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument.[12]
Celtic punk band The Real McKenzies filmed the video for their song Drink Some More at Ravenscraig Castle.
ERITAGE HIGHLIGHTS: Perhaps the first castle built for defense by firearms
James intended Ravenscraig to be one of a series of forts built with artillery in mind. It is easy to see the focus on cannon fire is reflected in the thickness of the walls, which were splayed out at the base to deflect all but the most direct hit from 15th-century cannons.
The towers were 43 and 38 feet around respectively, and both were pierced with narrow gun ports to allow the garrison to use light artillery like falconets. Each tower even had its own well, so that if one was captured, the other could still hold out against a siege on its own. The towers were linked by a gun platform, set over a ditch cut right through the solid rock, creating a dry moat that separated the castle promontory from the headland.
James had the castle built for his wife, Mary of Gueldres, who lived in the west tower and died there in 1463. Even then, she outlasted the unfortunate James, who died shortly after beginning to build Ravenscraig, when a cannon exploded at the siege of Roxburgh Castle. Queen Mary personally oversaw the construction of Ravenscraig until her death three years later.
In 1470 James III persuaded (read ‘forced’) Lord William Sinclair, Earl of Orkney, to exchange Kirkwall Castle for Ravenscraig. The Sinclair’s completed the castle, lived here until 1650.
The castle was damaged in an attack by Oliver Cromwell in 1651, and briefly garrisoned by English troops, but fell out of use after that and was left to decay. It was used as an ammunition store during World War I, and eventually passed into state care in 1955. It is now administered by Historic Scotland.
The main feature of Ravenscraig are the thick walls, up to 14 feet wide, a testament to their intended use to protect against cannon fire. Much of the remainder of Ravenscraig is in poor condition, leaving it more a romantic ruin than a living reminder of a bygone age.
The castle uses the rocky shore as part of its sea-facing defenses, augmented by a defensive wall. By the shore is a beehive-shaped dovecot used by the castle defenders. You can scramble – though there is a path it is quite worn in places – down to the shore for excellent views up at the castle on the crag above. It isn’t a terribly high cliff, but it would have been very intimidating to try to attack up the slope.
In truth, there isn’t a lot to see at Ravenscraig; the location is fantastic, but the ruins are rather scanty with not much in the way of information about the site to help you interpret the castle. Which is a real shame, for there’s a lot to like about the castle site, and it would be very helpful if Historic Scotland could provide more information to help you get more out of a visit. That’s not meant as a negative comment! The location is compelling, and its well worth a visit.
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Reblogged this on Rosamond Press and commented:
On March 6, 2019, I wondered if Baron Wilson was a Knight Templar. Last night I found a post in the Gunn clan Facebook group listing a lineage of Wilsons with the title “Templar”.
Lately, I’ve been doing a lot of digging on my mothers side of the family. And I found a long line of Wilsons that I traced back a few hundred years. It appears that they bobbed and weaved from northern England in Yorkshire and up to Glasgow and the Fife region of Scotland. I looked up the history of the Yorkshire Wilsons and suggests that if you go way back, they descended from the Danes. Does anyone know if these Wilsons have any connection to the Gunns or is it a separate branch or clan? Here is the line below that I found. Looks like they were barons and earls:Thomas Wilson (1355 – 1397)21st great-grandfatherSir Thomas, Baron of Temple Wilson Wilson (1380 – 1430)Son of Thomas WilsonSir Thomas VII “Talbot” Wilson, Earl of Cuper, Baron Wilson of Temple (1401 – 1475)Son of Sir Thomas, Baron of Temple Wilson WilsonSir John II “Robert”, Earl of Cuper, Burgess of Edinburgh Wilson (1425 – 1475)Son of Sir Thomas VII “Talbot” Wilson, Earl of Cuper, Baron Wilson of TempleSir John, of Cupar and Fife Wilson (1450 – 1492)Son of Sir John II “Robert”, Earl of Cuper, Burgess of Edinburgh WilsonSir Thomas, of Strubby Wilson (1470 – 1532)Son of Sir John, of Cupar and Fife WilsonWilliam Cumberworth Wilson (1492 – 1587)Son of Sir Thomas, of Strubby WilsonSir Robert Wilson (1520 – 1568)Son of William Cumberworth WilsonSir Robert Wilson (1550 – 1597)Son of Sir Robert WilsonWilliam “The Temperor” Wilson (1578 – 1615)Son of Sir Robert WilsonWilliam Wilson (1600 – 1663)Son of William “The Temperor” WilsonJoan Wilson (1615 – 1655)Daughter of William Wilson
Surname meaning for Wilson, Earl of Cuper, Baron Wilson of Temple
English and French: occupational name or habitational name for someone who was employed at or lived near one of the houses (‘temples’) maintained by the Knights Templar, a crusading order so named because they claimed to occupy in Jerusalem the site of the old temple (Middle English, Old French temple, Latin templum). The order was founded in 1118 and flourished for 200 years, but was suppressed as heretical in 1312. English: name given to foundlings baptized at the Temple Church, London, so called because it was originally built on land belonging to the Templars. Scottish: habitational name from the parish of Temple in Edinburgh, likewise named because it was the site of the local headquarters of the Knights Templar.
Sir Thomas VII “Talbot” Wilson, Earl of Cuper, Baron Wilson of Temple 1401-1475 – Ancestry®