Rosslyn Chapel

I'm working in a summer school in the University of Heriot-Watt, just outside Edinburgh. I arrived on Monday and, apart from a curry supper with the other teachers on Friday night, I hadn't left the campus until today, sunday, when I got an early bus (number 25 into the city, had a quick breakfast in Costa (because it was open) and then caught bus 37-the kindly driver of the 25 found out for me-way out of town, past park and rides, past rough areas, until we were in what looked like rural Scotland. The bus driver again told me where to get off and where to catch the final bus, the number 40, which arrived a brief 10 minutes later. Arriving in the small village of Rosslyn I discovered I was too early. It was 9.30 and the café wouldn't open for 30 minutes. The morning eucharist was at 10.30; I normally go to church on a Sunday morning and this was a way to kill two birds with one stone- church service and see the famous chapel which wouldn't open for tourists until midday.
The coffee from the guest house was not good.
Then back to the chapel.
My photos can't possibly do it justice. You're not allowed to take any inside.

Here's a link to the official site: http://www.rosslynchapel.org.uk/

The service was like other Anglican eucharist, organ a bit iffy, but the interior of the building was like nothing I've seen before.

Here are some photos I've found online. If anyone doesn't want me to use them, please tell me and I'll take them off.

Short History of the Rosslyn Chapel

• In 1446 the building of the Rosslyn Chapel was started by William St. Clair or Sinclair (1410–1484) who was the 11th Baron of Roslin. When William St. Clair died in 1484, he was buried in the vault of the unfinished Chapel of Rosslyn.
• His son Oliver St. Clair never continued the building of the Chapel.
• In 1571 funds for maintenance of the Chapel stopped due to the Scottish reformation. The already badly maintained Chapel stopped being used for religious purposes.
• In 1688 the Chapel was badly damaged by an anti-Catholic mob.
• Only in the beginning of the 19^th century restoration of the chapel was started.
• In 1861 services were given again in the Chapel.
• In 2000 interest in the Rosslyn Chapel bloomed after Dan Brown published his novel 'The Davinci Code

Do you see what I mean? There can't have been more than 25 of us in this amazingly nubbly 15th century interior, listening to wonderful texts from the Song of Solomon 12: 13, 16-19, Romans 8 and the parable of the wheat and tares (weeds) from the Gospel of Matthew. It was a lovely experience.