Rosslyn Chapel

	Rosslyn Chapel - a beautiful 15th century church in the village of Roslin, was designed by William St Clair. The St Clairs were a noble Scottish family which, according to legend, had links with the Scottish Knights Templar.
Already famous for its striking and unusual carvings, which depict Christian imagery of angels and devils alongside pre Christian symbols, such as the Green Man, the chapel has found further notoriety in its starring role in recent best seller and movie, The Da Vinci Code. However, Rosslyn Chapel has long been associated with the Knights Templar, an ancient order going back to the days of the Crusades.
	In the 12th century the grand master of the order was married to Katherine St Clair and two of the grand masters in the 13th and 14th centuries were members of the St Clair family. When the order was persecuted by the Pope in the early 14th century, it is said that some of the Knights escaped to Scotland leaving behind their treasure.
Although the original plans for Rosslyn have never been found, it is widely thought that the chapel was originally intended to be part of a larger building. If you are thinking about visiting the chapel, please remember that it is still in use by the local congregation today and as a working church is not open to the general public on Sunday mornings or during weddings or baptisms.
After visiting the chapel, why not explore the local area further. The nearby Rosslyn Castle is easily accessed on foot. Please note that entry to the castle is by appointment only but the approach is well worth a picture.
There are also some lovely walks to be had in Roslin Glen Country Park. To find out more about other tourist attractions and places to visit in Midlothian visit our Tourism Homepage.

Andrew Ralton  0131 271 3435