Re: Rosslyn Chapel

["Ward Ginn" <wginn@worldnet.att.net>]

Bruce,
    You wish to identify the "flowers" that adorn the ceiling of Rosslyn
Chapel along with the daisies, lilies, roses and stars.  This is a question
I meant to ask Tim Wallace Murphy, but never did.  So, if you are close by
Tim, maybe you can help us out.  In Tim and Michael Green's "An Illustrated
Guide Book: Rosslyn Chapel," Tim's comments on the subject were "the flowers
opening to the sun in the third section are in adoration."  The flower
itself, which is part of a squarish design, resembles the "rossete" designs
on the iron railing separating the Lady Chapel from the Choir area
(recognizing of course that the railing was installed many centuries after
the construction of the ceiling).  To me, therefore, it is an opening rose.
However, that is merely my observation and I defer to Tim or Jim Munro or
anyone else who can  supply a better answer.  Like so many other things in
the Chapel, Earl William did not leave us a guidebook with definitive
explanations of what all his carvings signify (nor would that have been
smart given the attitude of the Church at that time).  Thus, unless someone
provides us with a well reasoned opinion, I would say that our opinions are
as good as any as to the identity of the flower.

Bruce Carlyon asks:

> > Can anyone identify what flowers are exactly depicted on the ceiling of
> the
> > chapel.
> >
> > I have just read a passage in a book that states;
> > "the whole of the roof was adorned in five sections with daisies,lilies,
> > flowers, roses and stars."
> > The Head of God; Keith Laidler, page 344.
> >
> > Daisies, lilies, roses and even stars, I can fathom.
> > But can someone specify that which was called flowers?


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