Dear Rosslyn St. Clair,
Your inquiry about Scotland fascinates me, because of your very special name.
You are in for a great treat when you make the trip to the cradle of our
great family.
No visit to Scotland would be complete without seeing the Rosslyn
Chapel, located in the outer suburbs of Edinburgh. Its Medieval
beauty has a world wide reputation. Built in 1446 by Sir William
Sinclair, the 3rd Prince of Orkney and 6th Lord of Roslin, it is
a living monument to his motto "Commit Thy Work To God". Truly,
this is an eternal shrine for all Sinclairs!
My wife and I spent some time in Scotland in 1988, 1991, & 1997, studying our
Sinclair roots. Located at the edge of the Pentland Hills at a distance of
seven
miles south of Edinburgh, the town of Roslin sits on the bank of
the River Esk. It's terrain is in the form of a glen, well
vegetated with trees and meadows. From the town a short road
leads to the Chapel. Nestled among the trees, centuries away
from our modern life, the gray stone structure catches your eye.
The village is spelled Roslin, while the Chapel bears the Celtic
spelling of Rosslyn.
Large and impressive, this is no ordinary building. A closer
look reveals that it has suffered the ravages of time. Statues,
once punctuating the many shelves and alcoves, are notably
absent, having been pillaged during the Reformation in the
Seventeenth Century. Nevertheless, its stark beauty is
breathtaking. Within its thick stone walls one is overwhelmed by
the majestic silence of a unique splendor. Stone carvings, which
depict the stories in the Holy Scriptures, are covering the
columns, the walls, and even the ceilings. It is obvious why
many people call this "the Bible in stone".
Web Site: http://www.rosslynchapel.org.uk/
Have a happy trip!
H. S. "Pete" Cummings, Jr.