Re: Rosslyn Chapel

["Rory Sinclair" <rory.sinclair@accglobal.net>]

Dear David:
It is slightly more complex, as Niven has pointed out, than simply getting a
group of folk together with picks and shovels.  It is, of course, of
enormous curiosity for us all as to what might be down there but one can't
simply, as one sees in the movies, get the "villagers up in arms"  ie Clan
Sinclair and arrive by torchlight and break down the walls.   The Chapel is
A: a functioning place of worship and B: listed by Historic Scotland and C:
privately owned by the Earl of Rosslyn who has generously turned over the
building on a 99 year lease to the Rosslyn Chapel Trust which is charged
with amongst other things: the oversight of much needed repairs to the
fabric of the building, the balancing of the needs of tourists and scholars
to view the building with the necessity to put a minimum of stress on the
building that such ever increasing visits put on the very thing one is
trying to preserve and all within the very strict rules with respect to
conservation and non-invasion of the fabric set out by Historic Scotland.
It was the late Michael Bentine who said that the real treasure of Rosslyn
is the building itself (and he was a brilliant scholar of the para-normal)
There is a body in place that aims to preserve and conserve that treasure
and it it the Rosslyn Chapel Association and it has a web site (which
address escapes me in the rush of getting this message off at the moment but
do a search on Rosslyn and no doubt you will find it.)
In the meantime, I think Niven is right that what is left for us to do is:
engage in speculation, do the historical research and pursue non-invasive
techniques to attempt to slake our thirst and curiosity for what lies below
the chapel.  If you imagine that this is somehow unjust, just think of the
hue and cry that would ensue if we were to arrive and wish to dig up the
centre of the floor of St. Patrick's Cathedral in NYC because we thought
something would be down there that we wanted to see.  Or St. Peter's.   Or
the  Mormon Tabernacle  Or ........
Aye, Rory




-----Original Message-----
From: David C. Sinclair <dcsinclair@mediaone.net>
To: sinclair@mids.org <sinclair@mids.org>
Date: Sunday, April 30, 2000 9:36 PM
Subject: Re: Rosslyn Chapel


>Thanks Niven for your comments.  I know this has been a burning subject for
>you for a long time.  I am not sure what you mean about the timing having
to
>be right?
>All of us who have read the books that each point at Rosslyn from so many
>aspects, as a place of intrigue and a storehouse of knowledge, have wished
>to learn it's secrets.  What do we have to do?
>Is this something that as a clan we can make into a "Cause" and launch a
>funding campaign?
>Do others out there feel as I do?
>Regards
>David Sinclair
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Niven Sinclair" <niven@niven.co.uk>
>To: <sinclair@mids.org>
>Sent: Monday, April 24, 2000 2:29 PM
>Subject: Re: Rosslyn Chapel
>
>
>> At 11:50 21/04/00 -0400, you wrote:
>> >Dear All,
>> >Can anyone please provide any update on the vaults under the chapel and
>any
>> >plans to open them up?
>> >David Sinclair
>>
>>
>> There is no immediate intention to open the vaults at Rosslyn Chapel
>> because (a) approval
>> would have to be given by Historic Scotland and (b) the timing has to be
>> right because these
>> are no ordinary vaults.
>>
>> I had permission to enter and film in the vaults but access was too
>> difficult so I contented
>> myself by carrying out three separate sonar surveys (one of them under
the
>> aegis of Edinburgh
>> University) and by involving well-known and respected
>> dowsers.  Non-invasive techniques are
>> being constantly improved and it is through these methods, rather than
>> physical entry of the
>> vaults, that our knowledge of the contents of the vaults will be
>> confirmed.   This will certainly
>> include a Black Madonna.
>>
>> Niven Sinclair
>>
>> >[ This is the Sinclair family discussion list, sinclair@mids.org
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>>
>>
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