For All You Medievalists Out There...

Now, I'm aware that this blog is read by a few fans of the medieval period.  And I'm also aware that over the past few weeks my posts have been biased towards prehistory and Classical Greece...  So, in order to redress the balance, I'm going to put up a few posts this week devoted to Rosslyn Chapel.

Recently made famous by the Da Vinci Code, the Collegiate Church of St Matthew, now known as Rosslyn Chapel, was built in the late 15th century by Sir William St Clair.  It's evidently incomplete - the current structure was originally intended to be an integral part of a larger cruciform structure.

A couple of years ago, the announcement came out across the media that as from 2008, photography of the interior was no longer going to be allowed on health and safety grounds.  Allegedly, so many people were tripping over as they tried to photograph the masonry that the owners felt it prudent to impose a blanket ban.  

On the 30th December, 2007, I went out to Rosslyn Chapel armed with my cheap digital camera for my one and only opportunity to create my own personal photographic record of what is undoubtedly a stunning example of late medieval stonemasons' work.  Over the next few days, I'll introduce you to the site, give you a few links and post a few photographs, just to give you some idea of what it's like.  If you find yourself visiting the east coast of Scotland, do pay it a visit.  It's well worth it.

Oh, and just try and imagine what it must have been like at its zenith, when the carvings were brightly painted...

First of all, here's a view of the nave, looking west towards the main entrance.  The ceiling's particularly stunning, and a bit strange, too.  I don't know about you, but I'm more used to seeing vaulted ceilings or coffered ceilings in a medieval context.  We have a few barrel-vaulted ceilings in Scotland, but they're usually timber-lined with painted decoration (some day, I'll get some digital photographs of the Skelmorlie Aisle...).  To have a barrel-vaulted ceiling in stone with such a profusion of carving is quite incredible.  (Again, think of the polychrome version, and be amazed!!)

 

I've added another view of the ceiling below, just to give you a better idea.  Again, this is taken at the west end of the nave.  I got a stiff neck taking this one, I can tell you (but I didn't fall over!!).

 

Here's a view of the nave, looking towards the chancel and the east end:-

And finally, a more detailed view of one of the windows:-


 

In the late 19th century, the place was ruinous.  It's one of these rare instances where a medieval structure is actually in a better condition now than it was when MacGibbon & Ross were doing their survey of medieval ecclestiastical architecture in the late 19th century.  Conservation work is ongoing, thanks to the efforts of the Rosslyn Chapel Trust. 

Progress can be followed on their website at http://www.rosslynchapel.org.uk/.

More photographs from Rosslyn Chapel will follow!  Oh, and the cakes in the coffee shop are delicious, too!!

For All You Medievalists Out There...

Now, I'm aware that this blog is read by a few fans of the medieval period.  And I'm also aware that over the past few weeks my posts have been biased towards prehistory and Classical Greece...  So, in order to redress the balance, I'm going to put up a few posts this week devoted to Rosslyn Chapel.

Recently made famous by the Da Vinci Code, the Collegiate Church of St Matthew, now known as Rosslyn Chapel, was built in the late 15th century by Sir William St Clair.  It's evidently incomplete - the current structure was originally intended to be an integral part of a larger cruciform structure.

A couple of years ago, the announcement came out across the media that as from 2008, photography of the interior was no longer going to be allowed on health and safety grounds.  Allegedly, so many people were tripping over as they tried to photograph the masonry that the owners felt it prudent to impose a blanket ban.  

On the 30th December, 2007, I went out to Rosslyn Chapel armed with my cheap digital camera for my one and only opportunity to create my own personal photographic record of what is undoubtedly a stunning example of late medieval stonemasons' work.  Over the next few days, I'll introduce you to the site, give you a few links and post a few photographs, just to give you some idea of what it's like.  If you find yourself visiting the east coast of Scotland, do pay it a visit.  It's well worth it.

Oh, and just try and imagine what it must have been like at its zenith, when the carvings were brightly painted...

First of all, here's a view of the nave, looking west towards the main entrance.  The ceiling's particularly stunning, and a bit strange, too.  I don't know about you, but I'm more used to seeing vaulted ceilings or coffered ceilings in a medieval context.  We have a few barrel-vaulted ceilings in Scotland, but they're usually timber-lined with painted decoration (some day, I'll get some digital photographs of the Skelmorlie Aisle...).  To have a barrel-vaulted ceiling in stone with such a profusion of carving is quite incredible.  (Again, think of the polychrome version, and be amazed!!)

 

I've added another view of the ceiling below, just to give you a better idea.  Again, this is taken at the west end of the nave.  I got a stiff neck taking this one, I can tell you (but I didn't fall over!!).

 

Here's a view of the nave, looking towards the chancel and the east end:-

And finally, a more detailed view of one of the windows:-


 

In the late 19th century, the place was ruinous.  It's one of these rare instances where a medieval structure is actually in a better condition now than it was when MacGibbon & Ross were doing their survey of medieval ecclestiastical architecture in the late 19th century.  Conservation work is ongoing, thanks to the efforts of the Rosslyn Chapel Trust. 

Progress can be followed on their website at http://www.rosslynchapel.org.uk/.

More photographs from Rosslyn Chapel will follow!  Oh, and the cakes in the coffee shop are delicious, too!!