Dear Bruce:
My! What an active rumour mill there appears to be.
I visit Rosslyn once year (this year twice) and I was just there at the end
of March.
There was no hint of such a "fissure or stairs" at the Castle and I walk
around the whole place whenever I am there.
There may be a conflation of real stories with some fantasy. Here is what I
know.
In 1992 or 93, during filming of the "The Sword and the Grail" based on the
latest (then) on Prince Henry, a stone was lifted in the Chapel floor
which was always known to cover a set of stairs. The stairs were filmed
and showed a flight that led down to a blank wall (supposedly put in place
after the Battle of Dunbar).
Tantalizing as it would seem, it was understood by all present, you can't
just start bashing away at walls in a living church so the stone was relaid.
In 1995, some excavation was done outside the crypt and shortly after that,
the building was listed by Historic Scotland and hence no future excavations
can take place without elaborate studies and preparations and those
entrusted with executing such hypothetical tasks would have to be
archaeologists. Not impossible but the threshold of "action" is
considerably higher that it might have been only a decade ago. The focus
and efforts and money of the Rosslyn Chapel Trust is on the fabric of the
building which is in dire need -- the excavations, which from our point of
view, is more exciting, simply have to wait until the building itself is
secure.
The Castle is still privately owned by the Earl of Rosslyn and is managed
by the Landmark Group and rented out on a weekly basis to those interested
in staying for holidays. Fissures and staircases would be well known if
they were there.
Hope this is helpful.
Aye,
Rory (Toronto)
-----Original Message-----
From: bruce carlyon <Bruce_Carlyon@syncsoft.com.au>
To: 'sinclair@matrix.net' <sinclair@matrix.net>
Date: Tuesday, June 13, 2000 10:08 PM
Subject: RE: Flight of stairs?
>Dear All,
>Recently, I read an old posting that described rain as having opened a
>fissure at the base of the Keep at Rosslyn.
>Further, it described that a set of stairs could be seen in it that
appeared
>not have been very worn by use.
>It concluded that Niven would be getting excavators to further investigate
>the matter.
>
>Can anyone advise me of what has transpired and been dicovered from these
>investigations?
>
>Yours fraternally
>Bruce Carlyon
>
>> ----------
>> From: MSiperek@aol.com[SMTP:MSiperek@aol.com]
>> Reply To: sinclair@matrix.net
>> Sent: 12 June, 2000 2:10
>> To: sinclair@matrix.net
>> Subject: Re: Nosshead
>>
>> In a message dated 6/10/00 2:24:35 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
>> dave@girnigoe.co.uk writes:
>>
>> << http://www.girnigoe.co.uk >>
>> Gorgeous pictures. Thanks for letting us know!! Marilyn
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