Sally’s Little Black Book and the Da Vinci Code….
Yes, it’s me again! – the Old Millhouse,
I’m sure that many of you will have read the Da Vinci Code, or seen the film. And I’m also sure that lots of you know that Rosslyn Chapel features in the latter.
Rosslyn Chapel is a 15th-century Chapel located in the village of Roslin in Midlothian, quite near to the Old Millhouse. It began life in 1446 as a Catholic Chapel on the instructions of Sir William Sinclair and was built high up on a small hill near Roslin Castle. The Scottish Reformation led to the end of Catholic worship and the altars were destroyed. In 1842, it was a ruin, but a visit from Queen Victoria led to it being restored, as was her express wish at the time. It reopened for religious services, this time under the auspices of the Scottish Episcopal Church (the Scottish equivalent of the Church of England) in 1862.
In 1914, the Chapel suffered a terrorist attack when suffragettes exploded a bomb inside the building. Extensive restoration then took place in the late 20th century, so we can see the building we know today.
Dan Brown’s novel, The Da Vinci Code (published in 2003), is a story involving a murder investigation at the Louvre, which then leads to uncovering a series of mysteries from old secrets surrounding Christianity. This book created a huge, popular interest in supposed connections between Rosslyn Chapel, Freemasonry, the Templars and the Holy Grail.
This was when rumours really started to spread that there was a secret concealed somewhere in Rosslyn Chapel. There are stories of hidden musical notes, undiscovered continents, Knights Templar and of course the myth of the Holy Grail. There are many variations on the origin of the Holy Grail, but one of the most common is that it is the cup from which Jesus and his disciples drank at the Last Supper. For anyone with an overactive imagination, it’s not hard to form theories about the fascinating stone carvings…
The myth is that the Da Vinci Code is based on claims that Knights Templar found the Holy Grail in the Middle East, took it away with them and in the early 14th Century they came to Scotland, bringing the Holy Grail with them. Unfortunately, this story doesn’t hold up, since it happened over 100 years before the building was started!
Anyway, when you come to stay with us at the Old Millhouse, Rosslyn Chapel is well worth a visit. Whether you have a lifelong obsession with legends of the Holy Grail and Knights Templar or are just a lover of peaceful churches, Scottish history or mysterious stone carvings visiting Rosslyn Chapel should be high on your list.
To make it easier, Sally and I have arranged for individual tours for our guests, so you can explore all this ecclesiastical history in private and marvel at the stories and history.
If you’d like to learn more, get in touch with Sally on 07824 773 060 or email sally@oldmillhouse.co.uk
Ciao, The Old Millhouse
