Day 19 - Edinburgh to Aberdeen - 26 September 2024
We woke to rain. Another full Scottish breakfast (we are starting to like these) and we were packing the car in the rain. Just to be clear, the rain is nothing like Brisbane. It is a light sort of soft shower. However, we waved goodbye to the castle through the rain and drove out.
Today we see Rosslyn Chapel. We have been looking forward to this. We knew that it was popular and that they are now restricting the number of people. Therefore, we bought tickets online beforehand. It was still cold and wet when we arrived but the moment we walked through the door, we were captivated by the skill, mastery and beauty.
Construction started in 1446 and when Sir William St Clair, the founder, died in 1484, his son took over but rather than finishing it, put a roof on the incomplete area. It continued as a parish church until the reformation when is fell into disrepair. It was used by Oliver Cromwell as a stable in 1650 and then was vacant for 200 years.
In 1954, it was considered that the stone work was in poor condition and so a cement slurry was placed over the entire interior surface, covering the beauty of the original stone colour. In 1995, analysis determined that the slurry had stopped the water within the stone from evaporating and so the interior of the church was very humid. A trust was then formed to protect the abbey.
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| The side view of the abbey |
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| View showing the front entry |
Pictures of the interior are not permitted so some of these are from the internet just for memory sake.
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| Intricate stone carving |
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| The aisle |
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| The fallen angel |
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The green man
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| The column by the apprentice |
We all agreed that Rosslyn Abbey is the most spectacular church. We spoke about it for quiet a while as we drove north to Aberdeen. We stopped for a short break on the way and arrived after a long drive at around 4:00 p.m. to wind and rain. That did not allow any more sightseeing.
Holiday Inn has very comfortable rooms and a wonderful restaurant so we enjoyed the local beer.
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