# Rosslyn Chapel & Temple.



## BFG316

OK, here goes my first report so be gentle with me.

A Brief History:

Long before Dan Brown wrote his best selling book "The DaVinci Code", Baigent, Leigh and Lincoln wrote their best seller "The Holy Blood & Holy Grail", along with these Baigent and Leigh went on to write a few follow up books including "The Messianic Legacy" and "The Temple & The Lodge". 

Fast forward to 1996 I bought a book for my uncle, who is a Freemason, called "The Hiram Key" written by Knight & Lomas. It looked at the origins of Freemasonry, from the times of the pharoahs up to modern day Freemasonry. They came up with a theory that modern Freemasonry originated from the devolvement of the Knights Templar in 1307, this was seen as quite controversial in Masonic terms as The Grand Lodge of England was not formed until 1717. 

Anyway "The Hiram Key" blew my uncle away and he suggetsed I read it. I had already read the "Holy Blood and Holy Grail" and other books. This was due to showing an interest in masonry my uncle suggested I read on the subject.

All the books had Rosslyn Chapel as part of the make up and history of the Knights Templar (KT) and Freemasonry. 

So my uncle and myself decided to have a trip to Rosslyn to see "The Enigma" that is Rosslyn Chapel for ourselves. 

My uncle has a caravan in Belford, Northumberland, so we used this as our "base camp". Along for the ride was my partner and my uncle's partner. 
We had decided to travel through Peebles to get to Rosslyn but I missed the turn. So travelling along I noticed a sign for Temple, I knew that this place was mentioned in both the Baigent & Leigh and Knight & Lomas books as a ruin of an old KT preceptory, formally called Balantrodoch.

Temple:

If you have not been to Temple it is quite a strange place, it is literally one street. Blink and you'll miss it literally! The road bends at the bottom of the hill rises with houses to both sides of the road then you are out of it maybe 1/3rd of a mile long at best! But no sign of any ruined anything! But then on our way back down the bank we spotted it in a deep valley just off the bend at the bottom of the road! The ruin is not of the original preceptory, but of a church which was disused since the 1800's, but was mode from the preceptories ruins!

I have vistied this place twice and on both occasions there was noone else but us! It has a strange peaceful eeriness to it. Don't know what it is like now! Anyway on with the pics! (All of my pics are scanned, the visit was before digital cameras!)

Me and my uncle.










































Knights Templar Grave Stones:

There were loads of these gravestones all over the place. Typically they show the Skull and Crossed bones, often associated with pirates, but the KTs used this as there battle flag long before the pirates! Some show masonic symbolism as well, thus showing a link between the two!




































This stone is inside the ruin.
















This is the spookiest gravestone I have ever seen, the figures eyes are made from black and white stones so they stare right through you. It is of John Craig, a local farmer who died in 1742. He is shown in his best clothing and with his children. 







So after spending about an hour we decided to head off up to Rosslyn.

Rosslyn Chapel:
I could write a piece on the history of Rosslyn, but it is well documented and there own web site can tell you the history of the place. Unfortunately I can't find all of my pics of Rosslyn, but I will put them up when I find them!

The memorial out of the front of the chapel.






Me and my uncle outside of the front of the chapel. The baptistry is a Victorian addition to the chapel and not of the original design! 






The Apprentice or Prentice pillar, it is for sculpting this that the apprentice was killed by a jealous master mason (as folklore says) with a blow to the forehead, lending similarities to the Masonic tale of Hiram Abiff.






The second pillar.






This freeze around the window shows maize corn, at the time of builing of Rosslyn this could only be found in the Americas! But Rosslyn was completed BEFORE Columbus discovered America!! So who did then??






This ceiling freeze shows the aloe cactus again only found in the Americas!






These stones is in the crypt where Sophie and Robert Langdon descend to find that the Magdeline crypt has been moved. The little area they go down into does not exist in Rosslyn - Hollywood eh!!











This window is also in the crypt!







The mainceiling ceiling (not good quality photos sorry).
















Some of the hundreds of carvings:






At the time I visited Rosslyn it still had the big canopy over the top to the the roof dry out! So you could walk up around the outside of the roof this is a shot of some "Green Men" carvings even at such a height the symbolism is still evident.






All that remains of Rosslyn Castle! 











Well there you have it!! I hope the pics are ok and I have not bored you to tears! I will try and dig out some more photos and put them on. Any comments or suggestions. I would love to go back and visit both Temple and Rosslyn again, but I know that the 21st centiry grail hunters visit Rosslyn by the Bus loads now! When I first went there was a wooden table and two old ladies taking your money to get in, after about a year or so there had been a small visitors centre built, judgeing by their website and online shop I think it may be busy these days!!


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## smileysal

WOW, I've wanted to see here for years, but never got the chance. Read a couple of books on the holy grail and knights templars, and been wanting to go ever since.

Excellent pics. Love the remains of the first church, the surrounding cemetery looks remarkably well kept. Love all the knights templars headstones. and the pillars and stained glass windows in the church in Rosslyn. 

excellent work. thats got my interest back up again now, and really want to see this. 

Cheers,

 Sal


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## Neosea

That is sure a gem. Interesting place, might have a visit myself


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## Neosea

Just looked it up and what do you know,

Welcome to the Rosslyn Chapel website

PLEASE NOTE THAT FOR THE SAFETY, COMFORT AND OVERALL ENJOYMENT OF OUR VISITORS -

THERE IS NO INTERIOR PHOTOGRAPHY OR VIDEO ALLOWED AT ROSSLYN CHAPEL.

Thank you for your co-operation. 

Typical, it seems like most of these religious site managers don't like photos taken or want to charge. Not that it stops me from taking pictures, it just becomes a pain in the arse.


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## smileysal

That sign probably never existed when these pics were taken. Donkey's years ago (showing my age now lol) you were allowed to take pics from anywhere and everywhere, (then again, you were allowed to do more things then, like climb, and everything else, till the health and safety stuck their noses in  ). I've lost count of the amount of places we've all taken pics from the inside of, (20, 30 and more years ago, nowaday's there's signs up everywhere saying its not allowed. 

 Sal


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## BFG316

Neosea said:


> Just looked it up and what do you know,
> 
> Welcome to the Rosslyn Chapel website
> 
> PLEASE NOTE THAT FOR THE SAFETY, COMFORT AND OVERALL ENJOYMENT OF OUR VISITORS -
> 
> THERE IS NO INTERIOR PHOTOGRAPHY OR VIDEO ALLOWED AT ROSSLYN CHAPEL.
> 
> Thank you for your co-operation.
> 
> Typical, it seems like most of these religious site managers don't like photos taken or want to charge. Not that it stops me from taking pictures, it just becomes a pain in the arse.



Just seen this myself! Have been talking with my partner and she thinks it was about 9 years when we visited there last and you could take photos then. Saying that it was not as busy as it will be now. I think that they just want you to buy their books etc. Reminds me of when I saw a Masonic window in Durham Catherdral and aksed a bloke about it, he said there was a book in the gift shop on the subject of stained glass windows in Durham!! Money grabbing!


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## sqwasher

That looks like a great place! I'm glad you've taken the time & effort to scan these & share them with us!  The skull & cross bones gravestones are fab!  Well done!


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## Neosea

smileysal said:


> That sign probably never existed when these pics were taken. Donkey's years ago (showing my age now lol) you were allowed to take pics from anywhere and everywhere, (then again, you were allowed to do more things then, like climb, and everything else, till the health and safety stuck their noses in  ). I've lost count of the amount of places we've all taken pics from the inside of, (20, 30 and more years ago, nowaday's there's signs up everywhere saying its not allowed.
> 
> Sal





BFG316 said:


> Just seen this myself! Have been talking with my partner and she thinks it was about 9 years when we visited there last and you could take photos then. Saying that it was not as busy as it will be now. I think that they just want you to buy their books etc. Reminds me of when I saw a Masonic window in Durham Catherdral and aksed a bloke about it, he said there was a book in the gift shop on the subject of stained glass windows in Durham!! Money grabbing!



I came across this recently at Southwell Minster, they wanted £4.50 for a photography permit. It always has been a tradition of religion to rip of clients, I mean ask for donations, this is a new form of it.


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## Mr Sam

been there many moons ago was in mums van and it only just squeezed under a railway bridge on the back roads to it


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## Bax__

BFG,

I've been to the chapel a couple of times but never since the Davinci Code was written or filmed. I really love this place and as you say the Hiram Key is a brilliant read as is the follow up The Second Messiah (I'm pretty sure that's what it's called!)

I've not been to Temple but it's another place I plan to visit.

The history of the Templars in Scotland is very interesting....

Andy


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## BFG316

Bax__ said:


> BFG,
> 
> I've been to the chapel a couple of times but never since the Davinci Code was written or filmed. I really love this place and as you say the Hiram Key is a brilliant read as is the follow up The Second Messiah (I'm pretty sure that's what it's called!)
> 
> I've not been to Temple but it's another place I plan to visit.
> 
> The history of the Templars in Scotland is very interesting....
> 
> Andy



Hi Andy,

Yeah The Second Messiah is a pretty good sequel to The Hiram Key, although Lomas has gone onto wrute many others as "solo" projects all of which revolve around Freemasonry and Knights Templar. 

Scottish Templar and Freemasonry is very interesting indeed. There are many theories, and I have my own. Who knows the "secrets" that Rosslyn has may show we are from the stars anyway!!

I am thinking very strongly about going to visit both of these places again, just to get some better photos with a digital camera instead of the gas powered one that I used!!


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## BigLoada

This really blew me away when I saw your pictures. I have seen similar gravestones elsewhere but had no idea about the templar connection. How easy is this place to find? Any chance of a Flash Earth link please? I really want to visit here first chance I get. Thanks for posting these.


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## Dirus_Strictus

Neosea said:


> Just looked it up and what do you know,
> 
> Welcome to the Rosslyn Chapel website
> 
> PLEASE NOTE THAT FOR THE SAFETY, COMFORT AND OVERALL ENJOYMENT OF OUR VISITORS -
> 
> THERE IS NO INTERIOR PHOTOGRAPHY OR VIDEO ALLOWED AT ROSSLYN CHAPEL.
> 
> Thank you for your co-operation.
> 
> Typical, it seems like most of these religious site managers don't like photos taken or want to charge. Not that it stops me from taking pictures, it just becomes a pain in the arse.



I would have thought that the reason for this would be more well known, there was enough in the papers. After the book and film nonsense - so many tourists were walking around the Chapel, staring into the screens of digital compacts, that they were tripping over on the uneven floor or knocking old people over! Banning photography is the legal let out, if a visitor falls over whilst using a camera, it's their own fault for not looking where they are going.


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## Neosea

Dirus_Strictus said:


> I would have thought that the reason for this would be more well known, there was enough in the papers. After the book and film nonsense - so many tourists were walking around the Chapel, staring into the screens of digital compacts, that they were tripping over on the uneven floor or knocking old people over! Banning photography is the legal let out, if a visitor falls over whilst using a camera, it's their own fault for not looking where they are going.



I didn't subscribe to the book or film nonsense. In fact I don't even own a TV. I didn't make the connection at first


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## Dirus_Strictus

Neosea said:


> I came across this recently at Southwell Minster, they wanted £4.50 for a photography permit. It always has been a tradition of religion to rip of clients, I mean ask for donations, this is a new form of it.



I find comments like this and the 'money grabbing' comments in another post, somewhat hypocritical. People on this and like forums, are always bemoaning the decay and ruination of old buildings. Yet when asked to help in the preservation for future generations, start complaining! Before you start complaining, I would suggest you look at the daily restoration costs of our Cathedrals. The Church may be endowed with land and buildings, with cash it ain't - You can only sell the family jewels once, selling ones assets will not provide long term security for the fabric of our Cathedrals.

I fully appreciate that a fiver may a lot of money to some folk. To a person adorned with a couple of grands worth of equipment, i would suggest the amount is somewhat academic. I have seen people thus equipped, arguing against paying such a fee. Loud and objectionable are just two of the words that would describe them.


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## batroy

I can only agree with the above comment from Dirus. In my pocket at the moment I have a year pass for Ely Cathedral. It cost me under a tenner and it allows me to go back as many times as I like. For my hard-earned I get to wander at will through one of our finest mediaeval buildings and I can take as many pictures as I want.

If I were a worshipper turning up for a scheduled service I would be let in for free. After all that's the purpose of the building. But I'm not, I'm a tourist invading their space and just as I would at the Tower of London or Blenheim Palace I pay for that privilege.

I've been back to Ely twice since last summer. Their deal is one of the better value ones, at Salisbury for instance you don't get a year pass but under a tenner is still good value for what you get.

I think the expectation of free access stems from the Biblical story of Jesus booting the merchants out of the temple courtyard. the idea goes that somehow the Church just shouldn't dirty its hands that way. The trouble is, you really only get the right to sign up to that one if you sign up to the rest of the message and since as a country we're not often seen in church these days then we've not really got much of a leg to stand on.

The C of E lost a [email protected] of cash on failed property deals in the '80s which means there's not as much cash in the kitty as there once was. If you've ever wondered why some reports on urban exploring sites are from neglected Victorian churches there's the root cause. It's close to home for me, even though I'm not a churchgoer I periodically donate my time up a ladder helping maintain the village church I was christened in to stop it going the same way. In that atmosphere as able custodians of most of our Mediaeval heritage I'm happy to support them in return for access.


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## Foxylady

I thoroughly enjoyed your tour of Temple and Rosslyn Chapel, BFG. The chapel is somewhere I've wanted to see for a long time. I did succumb to reading The Da Vinci Code eventually (charity shop edition  ), which was a load of crap, imo, and badly written at that! But the real mystery to me is the amount of work that went into all the carvings and why...an incredible place.
Thanks for the report. Excellent stuff.


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## Super Slueth

Wow. I've seen some photos of similar gravestones in books but they didn't seem to have the impact of yours. I'd love to go to there. 

Did you get a chance to find the tunnel near the chapel? I know folk say its blocked off but you never know.

Places started banning flash photography for fear the light from the flashs would damage the colours of the various artworks / tapestries especilly if there were lots of visitors.


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## Wile-E

Another place I've fancied visiting for quite some time but never seem to actually get around to it... cheers for sharing and the info.


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## King Al

Nice pics + write up, good stuff BFG


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## BFG316

BigLoada said:


> This really blew me away when I saw your pictures. I have seen similar gravestones elsewhere but had no idea about the templar connection. How easy is this place to find? Any chance of a Flash Earth link please? I really want to visit here first chance I get. Thanks for posting these.




Hi there fella,

It is sign posted to temple. I am sure sat Nav would probably help. As I say I came across Temple by missing a turn off for Peebles!

Is this what you want??


http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=55.817447&lon=-3.094117&z=17.6&r=0&src=msa

Cheers.

BFG


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## VeeEight

That was a really interesting read, and some great photos! 


Yours,


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## Barry Trotter

always liked the john craig grave,looks like the kids are dipping his pockets,lol. temple is a great graveyard very mystical.


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