Re: Rosslyn Chapel Floor Plan

[Niven Sinclair <niven@niven.co.uk>]

At 08:06 03/03/00 -0500, you wrote:
>Greetings,
>   I have been referred to you from the Rosslyn Chapel e-mail site. It has
>been my pleasure to review the Floor Plan of the Chapel which appeared in The
>Hiram Key, and have noted something which the authors did not address. I am
>not oriented towards the possibility of 'hidden scrolls or treasures,'
>although it does make for a tantalizing tale. I think we all suspect that the
>Bible has been 'edited' and that a truer version will one day appear (or
>rather be made more accessible to the public).
>   My 'specialty' is geometry. I note that Tim Wallace-Murphy in his work,
>"The Templar Legacy and The Masonic Inheritance within Rosslyn Chapel," has
>as his Fig. 7 an Front Elevation Plan of the Chapel. With these two views I
>have overlaid them with some very interesting geometrical configurations, but
>am uncomfortable about drawing conclusions regarding my findings in that such
>'plans' as I have seen may not be to full scale. I have seen many attempts to
>attribute geometry to architecture which have been 'adjusted' by the writers
>to support their thesis. I would like to simply let an accurate Chapel Plan
>speak for itself. I feel that it has a great deal to 'say' without someone
>else's agenda or 'adjusting.'
>   I am asking if you would [1] be aware of papers already addressing the
>geoometry of the Chapel (with or without an agenda), and where they viewed or
>acquired and [2] if a reliable (accurate) Floor Plan, Side Elevation and
>Front Elevation of the Chapel are available. I suspect that the architect was
>very gifted in geometry and also that the interior carvings and motifs follow
>the lines of the patterns I am finding [which are significantly more than
>shown in the above "Fig. 7."
>   As a side note, the floor plan which appeared in The Hiram Key did not 
> show
>a front ' porch' or 'step(s).' It would seem to me that there should be or
>that there was a defined area at the front of the Chapel extending from the
>front door (as 'measured' from the inside wall) to a distance equal to the
>distance from the same inside wall to the center of the first set of pillars
>encountered as you enter, and extended across the full front of the chapel
>for a width equal to the exterior width of the 'body' of the Chapel. The
>extended front wall is another matter, and somewhat intriguing.
>   I have published some of my preliminary findings in my book, Freemasonry
>and a View of the Perennial World Philosophy. I am aware that the geometry I
>am finding at Rosslyn may be found in nearly anything, but the 'charm' of
>Rosslyn is that it is 'stated' with Grand Simplicity, capturing the very
>essence of the 'matrix.'  I cannot say that it was 'intended' by the
>architect [who was the architect, by the way?], but it is there for all to
>see nonetheless.
>   Hoping to 'hear' from you . . .
>Fraternally and sincerely yours,
>Gary L. Heinmiller
>4165 Wetzel Road
>Liverpool, New York 13090 (the Colonies)
>alternate e-mail: hiram501@juno.com
>
>p.s. I have Walderne (Waldron) Saint Clare, m. Helena Le Bon, in my genealogy
>as a 29th Gr GF, if further research can confirm the full lines thereto.


Helen was supposed to be a daughter of Richard, Duke of Normandy, but, as
neither of the Richards had a daughter of that name, we must assume that she
was a 'natural' daughter rather than a legitimate daughter.

When WIlliam 'the Bastard' was appointed heir to his father, Duke Robert, the
Sinclairs protested declaring that they were the true Dukes of NoRmandy.  At
the battle of Val-es-Dunes in 1047 the Sinclairs were narrowly defeated by
William.  Actually, Hubert St Clair fought on the side of William so it was
brother against brother, Norman against Norman.  Both Walderne St Clair
and his brother, Hamon St Clair, were killed.

Nevertheless, at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 we find 9 St Clair knights with
William and, after the conquest, they received large tracts of land throughout
England - particularly the sons of Hubert.  Within three generations, the 
Sinclairs
are to be found in 43 English counties and in Wales.  Their presence in 
Scotland
came by a different route but I won't bore you with that story today.

With regards to the geographic layout of Rosslyn Chapel, I'd be delighted to
obtain a copy of your book which I will gladly pay for if you let me know where
to get it and the relevant ISBN number to facilitate this.  It is said that the
Chapel (Like the Temple of Solomon) was never meant to be finished but I have
my doubt about this.  No doubt you have read "The Hiram Key" by Knight and
Lomas

I'm copying this e-mail to Tim Wallace Murphy as he may wish to comment
directly on your findings.

I trust to hear from you,

Niven Sinclair


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