Rosslyn Chapel

[John Duguid <John.Duguid@snl.co.uk>]

---------- > From: Nicole <ygrandov@vom.com> > To: sinclair@zilker.net >
Subject: 15th Century Rosslyn Chapel > Date: Wednesday, May 13, 1998 10:22 PM >
 >  > My name is Nicole, I've been getting lots of mail for my boyfriend, Tom >
Sinclair, on my > computer.  I find this very interesting.  I've spoke a person
who has > visited the > Rosslyn Chapel.  He has so much information I can't
even remember all he > talks > when I talk to him.  I'm still trying to figure
out the Royal Scotts and > the Scotts Royal. >   Well, this info comes from the
Chapel Tour pamphlet. > 	Welcome to Roslyn Chapel which was founded in
1446 by William  > Sinclair who was the third and last Sinclair Prince of
Orkney.  William > was fifty when he started the building and was already
considered an old > man.  However, we are fortunate that he lived long enough
to see the > choir area completed and the start of the transepts.  William died
in > 1484.  The correct name for Roslyn Chapel is the Collegiate Church of >
St. Matthew and was to have been built in cruciform shape.  The foundations >
are there for entire building.  The nave extends more than 95 feet from > the
west end of the existing Chapel.  The Chapel is built entirely > of sandstone
which was quarried locally;  the interior has a protective  > wash on it which
gives it a rather uniform color.  The wash was put on > in the 1920s.  The
vaults of the Chapel are extensive and extend the full > length of the
building, running between the two rows of pillars.  Within > these vaults the
knights of the family are lying in their full armour. > The first one to be
buried in this manner was William, the founder, in > 1484, and the last was
also a William Sinclair who was killed at the Battle > of Dunbar in 1650.  Our
research has shown that William, the founder, had > brought some of his
illustrious ancestors to be interred in his lovely > Chapel, notably Sir
William Sinclair of 1297 who was Grand Prior of the > Knights Templars.  His
stone can be seen lying in the north-west corner of  > the Chapel.  Prince
Henry Sinclair, first Prince of Orkney, was born in > the Robin Hood Tower of
Rosslyn Castle in 1345.  He is also interred at  > Rosslyn.  He became known as
the Holy Sinclair and he became the first > Prince of Orkney in 1379.  With the
aid of Templar funding, Henry > commissioned twelve ships to be built for a
voyage of exploration to the  > New World.  He was accompanied by Antonio Zeno,
a member of one of the > most illustrious families in Venice.  Antonio was
Henry's navigator. > Henry sailed to Nova Scotia in 1398. He lived amongst the
MicMac Indians, > teaching them how to fish with nets, and to sow crops, etc. 
He them sailed > down > to the Eastern seaboard to what is now known a
Massachussetts, where his > great friend, Sir James Gunn died.  Henry had Sir
James' effigy carved > on a rock face at Western Massachusetts, which can be
seen to this day. > Henry was murdered shortly after his return to the Orkneys.
 His grandson, > William, had his body brought back to be buried with due
honour and > respect here a Rosslyn.  William commemorated Henry's trip to the
New > World by carving into the stone some of the strange plants that Henry >
brought back with him.  To the right of the south door can be seen the >
American cactus, and on the arch of the second window at the east > end of the
south aisle can be seen Indian sweetcorn.  The other plants > and vegetables
which abound in the Chapel, and in particular the > architraves > and capitals
of the pillars, represent a harvest thanksgiving or a healing > garden.  As you
enter the Chapel, please stand at the crossing facing the > Main Altar.  You
are now looking east.  Look up to the roof.  It is over > 3 feet thick and
divided into five sections.  Starting at the east end you  > have a series of
daisies which represent Innocence.  The next panel are > lillies for Purity -
the Virgin Mary.  The next are flowers open to the sun > adoration.  We then
have roses for Love - Christ.  Lastly, at the west > end we have the stars
which represent the Heavens and amongst those stars > you can see four guardian
angels, the sun, the moon and a dove.  Coming > down to the clerestory area you
can see where there would have been two > rows of statues, twenty-four in all.
These were taken down and possibly > hidden at time of the Reformation.  The
one above the main altar is > a Victorian replacement;  it was put there in
about 1882. >  >  > 		I'll continue later there is so much more. > 
			Nicole

Be careful with this Nicole. You may be breaking UK copyright laws by
reproducing this. I suggest that if anyone is interested in the chapel they
write or e-mail Rosslyn chapel  (I have the e-mail address if anyone wants it )
and requests the excellent guide produced by the Sinclair Earl of Rosslyn which
retails at around £3.50. Its full of fascinating information on Sinclair
history and has some wonderful photos of the chapel, its well worth the small.
fee.

Regards

John.Duguid@snl.co.uk