Cousland is a village in Midlothian , Scotland. It is located 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) east of Dalkeith and 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) west of Ormiston , on a hill between the Rivers Tyne and Esk .
76-748: Cousland was a possession of the Sinclair family of Roslin from the late 12th century, and passed to the Ruthvens in the late 15th century. It formerly had its own chapelry , which was annexed to the parish of Cranston about the time of the Reformation . In 1547, during the Rough Wooing , the English army led by Lord Hertford burned the village, around the time of the Battle of Pinkie which
152-476: A blindfolded man being led forward with a noose around his neck. The carving has been eroded by time and pollution and is difficult to make out clearly. The chapel was built in the 15th century, and the earliest records of freemasonic lodges date back only to the late 16th and early 17th centuries. A more likely explanation, however, is that the Masonic imagery was added at a later date. This may have taken place in
228-522: A feud took place between George Sinclair of Keiss and Sir John Campbell of Glenorchy over the right to the lands and title of the earldom of Caithness. This resulted in the Battle of Altimarlach , where, legend has it that so many Sinclairs were killed that the Campbells were able to cross the river without getting their feet wet. Clearly, however, the Sinclairs had influence in high places as only
304-780: A few years later, in 1681, they regained the earldom by an order of Parliament. In 1698, George Sinclair 7th Earl of Caithness died. He was succeeded by John Sinclair of Murchill (Murkle) 8th Earl , his cousin. During the Jacobite rising of 1715 the Clan Sinclair supported the Jacobite cause, however by the time of the Jacobite rising of 1745 the Clan Sinclair supported the British Hanoverian Government. In 1708, Chief John, Master of Sinclair (Son of Henry Lord Sinclair) after killing two men in duels
380-433: A house brick does to a paperback book. If you superimpose the floor plans of Rosslyn Chapel and either Solomon's or Herod's Temple, you will actually find that they are not even remotely similar. Writers admit that the chapel is far smaller than either of the temples. They freely scale the plans up or down in an attempt to fit them together. What they actually find are no significant similarities at all. [...] If you superimpose
456-745: A lieutenant general with the Royal Scots regiment, was appointed the commander of the British Forces in Flanders . On 16 April 1746, at the Battle of Culloden , he commanded the Royal Scots regiment on the British-Hanoverian Government side. The Jacobite rebel, John Mackenzie, Lord MacLeod , tried raising the Sinclairs in arms but had little success: only about thirty men under Sinclair of Scotscalder arrived at
532-410: A musical score. The motifs on the boxes somewhat resemble geometric patterns seen in the study of cymatics . The patterns are formed by placing powder upon a flat surface and vibrating the surface at different frequencies. By matching these Chladni patterns with musical notes corresponding to the same frequencies, the father-and-son team of Thomas and Stuart Mitchell produced a tune which Stuart calls
608-420: A selection of patterns on them. It is unknown if these patterns have any particular meaning attached to them. Many people have attempted to find information coded into them, but no interpretation has yet proven conclusive. Unfortunately, many of these 'boxes' are not original, having been replaced in the 19th century after erosion damage. One recent attempt to make sense of the boxes has been to interpret them as
684-542: A series of politically motivated bombing and arson attacks nationwide as part of their campaign for women's suffrage . Churches were a particular target during the campaign, as it was believed that the Church of England was complicit in reinforcing opposition to women's suffrage. Between 1913 and 1914, 32 churches were attacked nationwide. In the weeks leading up to the attack, there were also bombings at Westminster Abbey and St Paul's Cathedral . The Rosslyn Chapel Trust
760-647: Is Malcolm Sinclair, 20th Earl of Caithness . The surname of Sinclair in French is “de Sancto Claro” and in Latin, “Sanctus Clarus,” meaning Holy Light. The name derives from the hermit St. Clare and St. Clair-sur-Epte, a town near Paris close to the location of the hermit St. Clare’s martyrdom. No certain record exists but it is likely that the Sinclairs came from Saint-Clair in Normandy . The Saint-Clairs first went to England (before they came to Scotland) with William
836-546: Is an inscription, Forte est vinum fortior est rex fortiores sunt mulieres super omnia vincit veritas : "Wine is strong, a king is stronger, women are stronger still, but truth conquers all" ( 1 Esdras , chapters 3 & 4). The author Henning Klovekorn has proposed that the pillar is representative of one of the roots of the Nordic Yggdrasil tree, prominent in Germanic and Norse mythology . The general form of
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#1732779961794912-672: Is dedicated to Saint Matthew the Evangelist and was founded on a small hill above Roslin Glen as a collegiate church (with between four and six ordained canons and two boy choristers) in the mid-15th century. The chapel was founded by William Sinclair, 1st Earl of Caithness of the Scoto-Norman Sinclair family . Rosslyn Chapel is the third Sinclair place of worship at Roslin, the first being in Roslin Castle and
988-465: Is impossible, given the fact that (according to Cooper) the third degree of Freemasonry was invented c.1720 - almost 300 years after Rosslyn Chapel was founded. The claim that the layout of Rosslyn Chapel echoes that of Solomon's Temple has been analysed by Mark Oxbrow and Ian Robertson in their book, Rosslyn and the Grail : Rosslyn Chapel bears no more resemblance to Solomon's or Herod's Temple than
1064-474: Is open to speculation whether or not the chapel was intended to be built in its current layout. Its architecture is considered to be among the finest in Scotland. Construction of the chapel began on 20 September 1456, although it has often been recorded as 1446. The confusion over the building date comes from the chapel's receiving its founding charter to build a collegiate chapel in 1446 from Rome. Although
1140-642: Is well established. Andrew Kemp noted that 'the entire plan of this Chapel corresponds to a large extent with the choir of Glasgow Cathedral' as far back as 1877 in the Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries. Many alternative history writers are well aware of this but fail to mention it in their books. As to a possible connection between the St. Clairs and the Knights Templar, the family testified against
1216-633: The Faroe Islands . He is also alleged to have voyaged as far as the Americas in 1398 (being hypothetically identified with Zichmni, who travelled with the Zeno brothers , for the first time by Johann Reinhold Forster in 1784 ); believers in this hypothesis claim he possibly landed in both Massachusetts and Nova Scotia . The voyage to America is largely disputed. According to a biography published many years after his death, he died in battle against
1292-550: The Grand Lodge of Scotland . William St Clair was a candidate for Grand Master and promptly became the first elected Grand Master after offering to surrender his hereditary rights. On 17 June 1739 Major Malcolm Sinclair 'A good and faithful servant of Sweden ' was charged with affairs of State, he was assassinated at Grunberg in Silesia by agents of Tsaritsa Anna of Russia . \ On 4 June 1745, Sir James Sinclair of Rosslyn,
1368-649: The Knights Templar or Freemasonry beginning in the 1980s. This part of its history was referenced in the DC Comics storyline Batman: Scottish Connection , in which the hero Batman becomes caught up in an old vendetta between two Scottish clans during a visit to Scotland, this mystery including the discovery of an ancient treasure trove hidden in Rosslyn. The topic entered mainstream pop culture with Dan Brown 's The Da Vinci Code (2003), reinforced by
1444-619: The Knights Templar Seal . William Sinclair 3rd Earl of Orkney, Baron of Roslin and 1st Earl of Caithness, claimed by novelists to be a hereditary Grand Master of the Scottish stonemasons, built Rosslyn Chapel. A later William Sinclair of Roslin became the first Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Scotland and, subsequently, several other members of the Sinclair family have held this position. Robert L. D. Cooper, curator of
1520-1071: The Orkney Islands , and the Lothians . The chiefs of the clan were the Barons of Roslin and later the Earls of Orkney and Earls of Caithness . The Sinclairs are believed to have come from Normandy to England during the Norman conquest of England , before arriving in Scotland in the 11th century. The Sinclairs supported the Scottish Crown during the Scottish–Norwegian War and the Wars of Scottish Independence . The chiefs were originally Barons of Roslin, Midlothian and William Sinclair, 1st Earl of Caithness and Baron of Roslin founded
1596-630: The Rosslyn Motet . There are more than 110 carvings of " Green Men " in and around the chapel. Green Men are carvings of human faces with greenery all around them, often growing out of their mouths. They are found in all areas of the chapel, with one example in the Lady chapel, between the two middle altars of the east wall. Other carvings represent plants, including depictions of wheat, strawberries or lilies. The authors Robert Lomas and Christopher Knight have hypothesised that some carvings in
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#17327799617941672-620: The Wars of Scottish Independence , Sir William Sinclair of Rosslyn was captured at the Battle of Dunbar (1296) and died later, probably in the Tower of London . Henry , his son, was also captured and later sent to St Briavels Castle , and in 1296 he swore fealty to Edward I of England . In 1303 the Battle of Roslin took place where Scots under Henry Sinclair of Rosslyn and the Clan Comyn defeated an English force. The Battle of Loudoun Hill took place in 1307 where Scots under Robert
1748-434: The "maize" and "aloe" were stylised wooden patterns, only coincidentally looking like real plants. The chapel has been a burial place for several generations of the Sinclairs; a crypt was once accessible from a descending stair at the rear of the chapel. This crypt has been sealed shut for many years, which may explain the recurrent legends that it is merely a front to a more extensive subterranean vault containing (variously)
1824-605: The 16th century the Sinclairs fought against England during the Anglo-Scottish Wars and also feuded with their neighbors the Clan Sutherland . During the Jacobite rising of 1715 the Sinclairs supported the Jacobite cause, but during the Jacobite rising of 1745 , while the clan largely had Jacobite sympathies, their chief, the Earl of Caithness, supported the British-Hanoverian Government. The current chief
1900-550: The 1860s when James St Clair-Erskine, 3rd Earl of Rosslyn instructed Edinburgh architect David Bryce , a known Freemason, to undertake restoration work on areas of the church including many of the carvings. Alternative histories involving Rosslyn Chapel and the Sinclairs have been published by Andrew Sinclair and Tim Wallace-Murphy arguing links with the Knights Templar and the supposed descendants of Jesus Christ . The books in particular by Tim Wallace-Murphy and Marilyn Hopkins Rex Deus: The True Mystery of Rennes-le-Château and
1976-401: The 18th century, involving the master mason in charge of the stonework in the chapel and his young apprentice mason. According to the legend, the master mason did not believe that the apprentice could perform the complicated task of carving the column without seeing the original which formed the inspiration for the design. The master mason travelled to see the original himself, but upon his return
2052-691: The Apprentice Pillar is a physical reference to the Entered Apprentice degree of Scottish Freemasonry logically led to the conclusion that the other two pillars (in line south to north with the so-called Apprentice Pillar) represented the Fellow of Craft degree (middle pillar) and the Master Mason's degree (north pillar). This association of three pillars in the east part of Rosslyn Chapel with the three degrees of Scottish Freemasonry
2128-555: The Bruce , assisted by Henry Sinclair of Rosslyn again defeated the English. The family initially favoured John Balliol 's claim to the throne but later it became paramount that they gave their loyalty to Robert the Bruce . The Battle of Bannockburn was fought in 1314, where the Clan Sinclair fought in support of Robert the Bruce. After the battle Robert the Bruce gave William Sinclair his sword. The Battle of Donibristle took place in 1317, William Sinclair , Bishop of Dunkeld, rallied
2204-524: The Chapel was spared. In 1651, at the Battle of Worcester , John Sinclair, 10th Lord Sinclair was captured by Cromwell's forces and imprisoned in the Tower of London and then at Windsor Castle until 1660 when he was liberated by General Monck. In 1657, George Sinclair 6th Earl of Caithness was present when Oliver Cromwell was proclaimed Chief Magistrate of the three nations in Edinburgh . In 1680
2280-577: The Conqueror during his invasion of England. The name was originally "Saint-Clair" which was a place name. Richard of Saint-Clair and Brittel of Saint-Clair are both mentioned in the Domesday Book . William of Saint-Clair accompanied Saint Margaret of Scotland , daughter of Edward the Exile to Scotland in 1068, where she eventually married Malcolm III of Scotland . In return for his efforts,
2356-537: The Dynasty of Jesus (2000) and Custodians of Truth: The Continuance of Rex Deus (2005) have focused on the hypothetical Jesus bloodline with the Sinclairs and Rosslyn Chapel. On the ABC documentary Jesus, Mary and Da Vinci , aired on 3 November 2003, Niven Sinclair hinted that the descendants of Jesus Christ existed within the Sinclair families. These alternative histories are relatively modern - not dating back before
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2432-448: The English around the year 1400. Henry II Sinclair, Earl of Orkney was taken prisoner by the English at Battle of Homildon Hill in 1402 but was soon released. In 1406 he escorted Prince James to France but the ship was captured by the English and both were imprisoned in the Tower of London . In 1407 he escaped or was released on payment of a ransom. William Sinclair, 1st Earl of Caithness (3rd Earl of Orkney and Baron of Roslin)
2508-463: The Grand Lodge of Scotland Museum and Library, in 2003 published a 12th edition of the 1892 Illustrated Guide to Rosslyn Chapel with the intention of countering the "nonsense published about Rosslyn Chapel over the last 15 years or so". Cooper in 2006 also published Rosslyn Hoax? in which he actively debunks this type of speculation at length and in great detail. An example is the comparison of
2584-696: The Herries, the Hays of Kinfauns, and the Macgills of Oxenfuird , before coming to the Dalrymples, later Earls of Stair , in the 1690s. Cousland Smiddy is a blacksmith's workshop built in the 18th century, which unusually remains in working order, and is a category B listed building . An archaeological survey, the Big Cousland Dig, was carried out in 2007–2008, and focused on the sites of the castle,
2660-657: The Jacobites, although the Earl of Caithness, their chief, supported the British Government. When Duncan Forbes, Lord Culloden was forming the 18 Independent Highland Companies to oppose the Jacobite rising of 1745 the Sinclairs were not offered a company. In 1750, Sir William Sinclair of Dunbeath founded the Baptist church at Keiss. At the Battle of Culloden in 1746, Sir James Sinclair of Rosslyn commanded
2736-550: The Rosslyn Chapel trust for "cashing in" on the popularity of The Da Vinci Code , against better knowledge. In the financial year of 2013–14, Rosslyn Chapel recorded 144,823 visitors, the highest number since 2007–08, when (at the height of popular interest induced by The Da Vinci Code ), the number of visitors was close to 159,000. The current owner is Peter St Clair-Erskine, 7th Earl of Rosslyn . The original plans for Rosslyn have never been found or recorded, so it
2812-580: The Rosslyn myth of the Apprentice Pillar with that of the allegorical references to Hiram Abiff in Masonic ritual, and in the process he debunks any similarities between the two. A minute comparison between the Rosslyn Myth and the Masonic allegory can be found in a detailed tabular form in The Rosslyn Hoax? Cooper further debunks other claims of a connection between carvings within Rosslyn Chapel and Scottish Freemasonry. The suggestion that
2888-651: The Royal Scots regiment on the British-Hanoverian government side. The Clan Sinclair was not directly involved in the battle, but some members of the clan did fight on the Jacobite side, and a Sinclair flag was found on the field afterwards. Most of the flags of the Prince Charles' army that were captured at Culloden were burnt by the public hangman in Edinburgh. A list was made of those flags, but only contains brief descriptions. A discussion about
2964-690: The Scots army to defeat an English invading force in Fife . Sir William Sinclair, heir to Henry, and, it is claimed, his brother John, were among the Scots killed with Sir James Douglas at the Battle of Teba (1330), cutting short their attempt to carry Robert Bruce's heart to the Holy Land . They, or at least their bones, are said to be buried in Rosslyn Chapel . The Battle of Neville's Cross took place in 1346 where Sir John Sinclair of Herdmanston
3040-518: The Templars when that Order was put on trial in Edinburgh in 1309. Historian Dr. Louise Yeoman, along with other medieval scholars, says the Knights Templar connection is false, and points out that Rosslyn Chapel was built by William Sinclair so that Mass could be said for the souls of his family. It is also claimed that other carvings in the chapel reflect Masonic imagery, such as the way that hands are placed in various figures. One carving may show
3116-408: The barony of Roslin (Rosslyn) in 1280. During the Scottish–Norwegian War , Haakon IV of Norway invaded Scotland. However, at the Battle of Largs in 1263 he was faced with William St. Clair who commanded a wing of Alexander III of Scotland 's army. In 1264, William St. Clair was ordered by King Alexander of Scotland to support the forces of the king of England at the Battle of Lewes . During
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3192-454: The chapel represent ears of new world corn or maize , a plant which was unknown in Europe at the time of the chapel's construction. In their book they discuss meeting with the wife of botanist Adrian Dyer, and that Dyer's wife told him that Dyer agreed that the image thought to be maize was accurate. In fact, Dyer found only one identifiable plant among the botanical carvings and suggested that
3268-510: The church and also to give it a chance to dry out properly. Three human skeletons were found during the restoration. Major stonework repairs were completed by the end of 2011. The last major scaffolding was removed in August 2010. A new visitor centre opened in July 2011. The chapel's stained-glass windows and organ were fully restored. New lighting and heating were installed. The expected cost of
3344-543: The east end of the chapel are named, from north to south: the Master Pillar, the Journeyman Pillar and, most famously, the Apprentice Pillar. One of the more notable architectural features of the chapel is the "Apprentice Pillar, or "Prentice Pillar". Originally called the "Prince's Pillar" (in the 1778 document An Account of the Chapel of Roslin ) the name morphed over time due to a legend dating from
3420-483: The famous Rosslyn Chapel in the 15th century. He split the family lands, disinheriting his eldest son from his first marriage, William ("the Waster") , who inherited the title of Lord Sinclair , instead giving the lands of Caithness to the second son from his second marriage, William Sinclair, 2nd Earl of Caithness , in 1476, and the lands at Roslin to his eldest son from his second marriage, Sir Oliver Sinclair . In
3496-457: The floor plans of Rosslyn Chapel and the East Quire of Glasgow Cathedral you will find a startling match: the four walls of both buildings fit precisely. The East Quire of Glasgow is larger than Rosslyn, but the designs of these two medieval Scottish buildings are virtually identical. They both have the same number of windows and the same number of pillars in the same configuration. [...] The similarity between Rosslyn Chapel and Glasgow's East Quire
3572-404: The king supposedly granted Sinclair the barony of Roslin , Scotland "in free heritage". One of the earliest recorded Sinclairs in Scotland was Henry of Saint-Clair/Sinclair , who obtained a charter for the lands of Herdmanston in Haddingtonshire in 1160. The chiefs of Clan Sinclair, the Earls of Caithness, descend from William St. Clair who was sheriff of Edinburgh and who was granted
3648-415: The late 1980s, the chapel has been the subject of speculative theories concerning a connection with the Knights Templar and the Holy Grail , and Freemasonry . It was prominently featured in this role in Dan Brown 's bestselling novel The Da Vinci Code (2003) and its 2006 film adaptation . Medieval historians say these accounts have no basis in fact. Rosslyn Chapel remains privately owned. The chapel
3724-444: The list of burnt colours and other Jacobite flags appears in military-illustrated-past-present-1991-07-38. pp.39-45 Castles that were either built by the Sinclairs or came into their possession have included amongst many others: Rosslyn Chapel Rosslyn Chapel , also known as the Collegiate Chapel of Saint Matthew , is a 15th-century Episcopal chapel located in the village of Roslin in Midlothian , Scotland. The chapel
3800-590: The local Cathedral in pursuit of the Morays who had taken refuge in the steeple. George Sinclair, 4th Earl of Caithness later imprisoned his son, the Master of Caithness, for making peace with the Morays . In 1588 Castle Sinclair Girnigoe withstood a siege by the Earl of Sutherland and in 1590 George Sinclair, 5th Earl of Caithness invaded Sutherland which resulted in the Battle of Clynetradwell . On 3 April 1593, George, 5th Earl of Caithness resigned his earldom in return for novodamus and remainder to his son William Sinclair. On 11 December William Sinclair of Mey
3876-409: The mummified head of Jesus Christ , the Holy Grail , the treasure of the Templars , or the original crown jewels of Scotland. In 1837, when the 2nd Earl of Rosslyn died, his wish was to be buried in the original vault. Exhaustive searches over the period of a week were made, but no entrance to the original vault was found and he was buried beside his wife in the Lady Chapel. The pinnacles on
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#17327799617943952-424: The original building was to be cruciform , it was never completed. Only the choir was constructed, with the retro-chapel, otherwise called the Lady chapel , built on the much earlier crypt (Lower Chapel) believed to form part of an earlier castle. The foundations of the unbuilt nave and transepts stretching to a distance of 90 feet were recorded in the 19th century. Construction of the planned nave and transepts
4028-426: The pillar has been related to a type described by the French architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc as a "bunch of sausages." A full-size plaster cast of the Apprentice Pillar and the adjacent bay of the chapel was made in 1871, and is in the Cast Courts of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Among Rosslyn's many intricate carvings are a sequence of 213 cubes or "boxes" protruding from pillars and arches with
4104-467: The place of muster, and Sinclair of Scotscalder's estates were later forfeited. However, the Clan Sinclair was strongly Jacobite, but after hearing the news of the Jacobite failure at the Battle of Culloden, this apparently made them "sneak home again". It was also reported that had Lord Sutherland and Lord Reay not been in their way then the Sinclairs would have been among the first of the rebels, with about 500 Caithness Sinclairs who were ready to join
4180-448: The restoration work is around £13 million, with about £3.7 million being spent on the Visitor Centre. Funding has come from various sources including Heritage Lottery Fund , Historic Scotland and the environmental body, WREN. Actor Tom Hanks also made a donation. Photography and video have been forbidden in the chapel since 2008. The chapel sells commercially produced photos in its shop. In 2006, historian Louise Yeoman criticised
4256-421: The rooftop have been subject to interest during renovation work in 2010. Nesting jackdaws had made the pinnacles unstable and as such had to be dismantled brick by brick revealing the existence of a chamber specifically made by the stonemasons to harbour bees. The hive, now abandoned, has been sent to local bee keepers to identify. The chapel became the subject of speculation regarding its supposed connection with
4332-447: The second (whose crumbling buttresses can still be seen today) in what is now Roslin Cemetery. Sinclair founded the college to celebrate the Liturgy of the Hours throughout the day and night, and also to celebrate Catholic Masses for all the faithful departed, including the deceased members of the Sinclair family. During this period, the rich heritage of plainsong (a single melodic line) or polyphony (vocal harmony) were used to enrich
4408-432: The singing of the liturgy. Sinclair provided an endowment to pay for the support of the priests and choristers in perpetuity. After the Scottish Reformation in 1560, Catholic worship in the chapel was brought to an end. The chapel's altars were destroyed in 1592. In 1842 the chapel, then in a ruined and overgrown state, was visited by Queen Victoria , who expressed a desire that it should be preserved. Restoration work
4484-416: The subsequent film of the same name (2006). Numerous books were published after 2003 to cater to the popular interest in supposed connections between Rosslyn Chapel, Freemasonry, the Templars and the Holy Grail generated by Brown's novel. The chapel, built 150 years after the dissolution of the Knights Templar, supposedly has many Templar symbols, such as the "Two riders on a single horse" that appear on
4560-414: The windmill and an 18th-century pottery. The ruins of a tower house and enclosure walls are located on the south side of the village. Although formerly thought to be a nunnery, the remains are now attributed to William Ruthven, 1st Lord Ruthven , and dated to the late 15th century. The original tower was extended to form a larger residence in the 16th century. The tower house had a vaulted basement, and
4636-571: The younger son of John 8th Earl created Lord Murkle. In 1736, Sir James Sinclair glazed the windows for the first time of Rosslyn Chapel , relaid the floor with flagstones and repaired the roof of the chapel. In 1736, Sir James Sinclair of Rosslyn resigned his office as hereditary Grand Master Mason of Scotland to the Scottish Lodges on their foundation. He was later reappointed for his life. The Sinclairs of Roslin (Rosslyn) laid claim to be hereditary Grand Master Masons of Scotland . In 1739 forty-four Scottish Freemasons' Lodges met in Edinburgh to found
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#17327799617944712-528: Was High Chancellor of Scotland between 1454 and 1458. He had been granted the earldom of Caithness in 1455. He split the family lands, disinheriting his eldest son from his first marriage, William ("the Waster") , who later became the Lord Sinclair , instead giving the lands of Caithness to the second son from his second marriage, William Sinclair, 2nd Earl of Caithness , in 1476, and the lands at Roslin to his eldest son from his second marriage, Sir Oliver Sinclair . William Sinclair, 2nd Earl of Caithness
4788-431: Was abandoned. The Lower Chapel (also known as the crypt or sacristy ) should not be confused with the burial vaults that lie underneath Rosslyn Chapel. The chapel stands on fourteen pillars, which form an arcade of twelve pointed arches on three sides of the nave. At the east end, a fourteenth pillar between the penultimate pair form a three-pillared division between the nave and the Lady chapel. The three pillars at
4864-488: Was carried out in 1862 by David Bryce on behalf of James Alexander, 3rd Earl of Rosslyn . The chapel was rededicated on 22 April 1862, and from this time, Sunday services were once again held, now under the jurisdiction of the Scottish Episcopal Church . The chapel was the subject of a terrorist attack on 11 July 1914, when a bomb exploded inside the building. This was as part of the suffragette bombing and arson campaign of 1912–1914, in which suffragettes carried out
4940-420: Was commanded to surrender Dirleton , Ruthven , Cousland, and the Gowrie lodging in Perth to the crown in May 1584. 55°54′15″N 2°59′52″W / 55.9042°N 2.9978°W / 55.9042; -2.9978 Clan Sinclair Clan Sinclair ( Scottish Gaelic : Clann na Ceàrda [ˈkʰl̪ˠãũn̪ˠ nə ˈkʲaːrˠt̪ə] ) is a Highland Scottish clan which holds the lands of Caithness ,
5016-405: Was enraged to find that the upstart apprentice had completed the column by himself. In a fit of jealous anger, the master mason took his mallet and struck the apprentice on the head, killing him. The legend concludes that as punishment for his crime, the master mason's face was carved into the opposite corner to forever gaze upon his apprentice's pillar. On the architrave joining the pillar there
5092-403: Was established in 1995, with the purpose of overseeing its conservation and its opening as a sightseeing destination. The chapel underwent an extensive programme of conservation between 1997 and 2013. This included work to the roof, the stone, the carvings, the stained glass and the organ. A steel canopy was erected over the chapel roof for fourteen years. This was to prevent further rain damage to
5168-406: Was exiled to Prussia but later pardoned by Anne, Queen of Great Britain . In 1715, John Master of Sinclair captured a vessel with 420 stand of arms bound for the Earl of Sutherland. In 1715, at the Battle of Sheriffmuir , David Sinclair of Brabsterdorran fought for Jacobite cause, as did John, Master of Sinclair who fled to Orkney and then to Europe. On 3 November 1733, John Sinclair of Murkle
5244-401: Was extended southwards. It stands at the north-east corner of a walled garden area, 68 metres (223 ft) square, enclosed by walls 85 centimetres (33 in) thick, probably constructed after 1690. The house was demolished after 1760, and the walls survive intact on the northern sides. The tower, house and walls are protected as a scheduled monument . Dorothea Stewart, Countess of Gowrie ,
5320-472: Was fought nearby. The village was a centre of lime production from the 16th century. Cousland lime was used to build and repair Edinburgh's town walls, and was frequently used at Holyrood Palace for plastering and harling . The Confederate Lords, opponents of Mary, Queen of Scots , gathered at Cousland in 1567 at the time of the stand-off at Carberry Hill . After the execution of William Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie , in 1584, Cousland passed successively to
5396-426: Was founded by William Sinclair, 1st Earl of Caithness with a ground-breaking ceremony in 1456. After the Scottish Reformation in 1560, it was largely abandoned but, following a visit by Queen Victoria , it was rededicated in 1862. It was the target of a bombing in 1914 during the suffragette bombing and arson campaign . The interior contains some fine carvings which many historians have sought to interpret. Since
5472-555: Was killed fighting for James IV of Scotland at the Battle of Flodden in 1513. There was a loss of 300 Sinclairs including George Sinclair of Keiss, Henry Sinclair, 4th Lord Sinclair , Sir John Sinclair of Herdmanston, the Bishop of Caithness as well as James IV of Scotland. John Sinclair, 3rd Earl of Caithness (1490–1529) died at the Battle of Summerdale in May 1529 in Orkney. He
5548-479: Was killed with most of his men in an ambush. In 1650 Major Sinclair assisted James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose at the Battle of Carbisdale where they were defeated. They escaped to Ardvreck Castle , but there they were betrayed by MacLeod of Assynt and were executed. Sir William Sinclair of Rosslyn was killed at the Battle of Dunbar (1650) and was the last knight to be buried in full armour below Rosslyn Chapel . General Monck sacked Rosslyn Castle but
5624-452: Was knighted by King James VI of Scotland . On 21 October 1601, Henry Sinclair, 6th Lord Sinclair died and was succeeded by grandson Henry. In 1606, George 5th Earl of Caithness, was by an Act of Parliament allowed to change the name of Girnigoe Castle to Sinclair Castle. See: Castle Sinclair Girnigoe . The Battle of Kringen took place on 26 August 1612 in Otta , Norway. George Sinclair
5700-460: Was succeeded by his son George Sinclair, 4th Earl of Caithness . William Sinclair, 5th Lord Sinclair was taken prisoner. At the Battle of Solway Moss in 1552, Scots commanded by Oliver Sinclair of Pitcairns were beaten by the English. In 1568, Henry Sinclair, 6th Lord Sinclair assisted Mary, Queen of Scots , to escape from Loch Leven Castle . In 1570, John Sinclair, Master of Caithness , son of George Sinclair, 4th Earl of Caithness burned
5776-474: Was taken prisoner In 1379, Sir Henry Sinclair , who was also Admiral of Scotland claimed the Earldom of Orkney through his mother and received it from Haakon VI of Norway . However the earldom of Orkney was later resigned by order of James III of Scotland . Henry I Sinclair, Earl of Orkney , Baron of Roslin, and Lord of Shetland (c.1345-c.1400), was a Scottish explorer nobleman . In 1391, he conquered
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