The entrance to Rosslyn's drive. The chapel, founded in 1446 by Sir William St Clair, stands on a hill surrounded by fields.
We were lucky to visit Rosslyn on a sunny day. Most days, the Scottish mist makes it impossible to see the surrounding countryside.
The ruins of this castle are visible from the chapel.
Some creative person has found a way to make some Da Vinci money.
Because of centuries of deterioration, this roof has been built over the chapel to keep it dry, till they figure out how to repair the building, especially the inside where a green algae wants to take over the walls and ceiling.
Walking on the scaffolding gives a view of the chapel that wouldn't be possible otherwise.
This is my screensaver.
Back on the ground.
The entrance.
The high altar and the resurrection window.
Two of the apostle windows.
Some windows have carvings of corn, which came to Europe from North America - but not until after the chapel was built, which has historians confused.
The seven virtues and the seven deadly sins carved into lintels. Rosslyn is called "a Bible in stone."
A drawing on a wall, made by the original builders.
The apprentice's pillar.
The mason's pillar. Legend says that the master mason was so jealous of the superior pillar created by the apprentice that he hit him in the head with his mallet and killed him.
One of hundreds of angel carvings.
This angel is equipped with a camera, in case visitors decide to take home a Rosslyn souvenir.
Lucifer, the fallen angel.
Carvings of the dance of death on the ceiling.
The central nave.
A side aisle.
The barrel vaulted roof with flowers carved into the ceiling.
The baptistery.
This is the burial stone of an earlier William St Clair, a Knight Templar, who died in 1330 while attempting to carry the heart of Robert the Bruce (my favorite of the Scot heroes) to the Holy Land.
"Commit thy work to God."
The green man has been used as a protective talisman for centuries. There are more than a hundred carved into the interior. We bought one to add to our collection of house-protectors.
Back outside.
And off to lunch.
