The town of Westford was settled in 1635, and is located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The identify of the so called Westford Knight is suggested to be Sir James Gunn, that claim being made because the shield he holds shows the coat of arms of the Clan Gunn. Various theories exist about the rock carving, with the most popular being
that it was carved by members of Sir Henry Sinclair's expedition to the New World to commemorate the death of the Knight, a member of the Sinclair entourage.
There are others who believe this is nothing more than natural cracks in a rock, perhaps enhanced by unknown persons who noticed the resemblance of the cracks to a medieval knight. Those who believe that tend to not believe that Earl Henry Sinclair travelled to the America before Columbus. There are now several books in print that purport to prove that Sinclair came to America using maps called the "Zeno Maps" taken from what is called "The Zeno Narrative" that chronicles an even earlier discovery of the New World. While it is possible that the carving may have been 'enhanced' what are the chances that someone would know the coat of arms of the Gunn Clan? Coincidence? Perhaps....but that is quite a leap. That someone would be able to enhance cracks in a rock to coincide with the coat of arms of a medieval knight said to be a member of Sir Henry Sinclair's group, years later....well....I have trouble with that one.
Although I try to remain open minded about such things, having found that for every story proving some "new history" there exists another story disproving it, a fact that clouds the stories and makes coming to any meaningful conclusion difficult at best. However....having said that, I tend to believe in the story of Henry Sinclair. If the legends are true, Sinclair had the means and quite likely the knowledge to make the trip, landing in Nova Scotia, Canada sometime around the end of the 1300's. The interesting thing is that Sinclair is also the Baron of Rosslyn, home of Rosslyn Castle and Chapel, which of course we know is where the mysterious Knight's Templar sought refuge following their fall from favor with the Pope. Sinclair was also handed the titles of Earl of Orkney, and Lord of Shetland, and according to some records was invested by Haakon, King of Norway, as Jarl of the Orkneys. That connection, is the one that to me, makes possible, if not very likely the idea that he had access to information about the New World.
As far as I am concerned, being Canadian, and knowing the history, there is no doubt that Vikings, Norsemen, visited and had a settlement in Newfoundland, on Canada's east coast, long before Columbus or any of the other explorers who have been heralded as discovering North America. Sinclair's connections that ran deep among powerful people and royalty would have given him the opportunity to learn of the Norse visits and the land across the ocean. He may not have even been the first to come here, but it is his other connections, to the Knight Templars that makes his journey important.
Sinclair, himself perhaps a member of The Knights Templars would most certainly have the money and probably access to whatever they knew, which would have helped. Particularly if he was seeking the Holy Grail, which other legends suggest may have been taken by The Knight's Templar to the New World, or perhaps he was the one tasked with bringing it here. After a journey from the Orkney's to Nova Scotia, a trip down the coast to Massachusetts a distance of around 700 miles overland, wouldn't seem all that difficult, particularly, if it is true that Sinclair established a settlement(s) in The new World, from which to conduct further explorations. That a member of his entourage would have died on the trip, is also a very good possibilty, which could explain the carving of the Westford Knight to commemorate where he died.
The legend of Sir Henry Sinclair is growing, thanks in large part to the internet, which, as we all know, gives us a wealth of information, albeit much of it untrue, unproven or unfounded. Internet pages, this one included, tend to 'feed' off of each other, which further adds to the idea that something is true, even if it isn't. I write about it, you write about it and someone else writes about it...someone else looks it up, finds us all writing about the same thing, and then believes it must be all true.....I am saying this because, I believe a good investigator, historian or lover of mystery, must seek their own truth, and draw their own conclusions. In the case of Sir Henry Sinclair, I believe the story, I believe he came here 90 some years before Columbus. I also believe his voyage had something to do with the Knight's Templar, perhaps he came to recover their treasure hidden a century before, or perhaps Sinclair came to Nova Scotia to hide their treasure, (the Holy Grail?) which they had smuggled to Scotland as they escaped Europe.
Recommended Related Reading
The Knights Templar in the New World: How Henry Sinclair Brought the Grail to Acadia
The Sinclair Saga: Exploring the Facts and the Legend of Prince Henry Sinclair
Cabal of The Westford Knight: Templars at the Newport Tower
The Lost Treasure of the Knights Templar: Solving the Oak Island Mystery
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