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Historic Mysterious Rosslyn Chapel

Historic Mysterious Rosslyn Chapel

Last updated on: August 12, 2026 at 10:35 am by Alice H. Murray

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Historic Mysterious Rosslyn Chapel 2026-08-12T10:35:01-04:00 Alice H. Murray

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Exterior view of historic mysterious Rosslyn Chapel [Image by Walkerssk from Pixabay]

Mysteries in Scotland extend far beyond if Nessie actually exists. While tourists are unlikely to catch a glimpse of Loch Ness’ beast, they can see and explore the historic mysterious Rosslyn Chapel. The architectural wonder stood long before it shot to fame by inclusion in the hit movie “The Da Vinci Code” starring Tom Hanks. The structure tantalizes the mind with ornate stonework and teases the imagination with puzzling questions.

Scotland is home to the historical mysterious Rosslyn Chapel [Image by Pete Linforth from Pixabay]

Location Of Historic Mysterious Rosslyn Chapel

Seven miles south of Scotland’s capital of Edinburgh sits the peaceful rural village of Roslin, the location of the historic mysterious Rosslyn Chapel. This 15th century chapel is specifically found in the east-central Scottish Lowlands county of Midlothian. It stands at the top of a small hill looking down on beautiful Roslin Glen which contains the largest surviving stretch of ancient woodland in Midlothian.

The beauty of this area drew famous Scottish novelist and poet Sir Walter Scott. He rented a cottage just a few miles from Roslin for a summer retreat in 1798. Captivated by the chapel, he referenced it in his epic long poem “The Last Lay of the Minstrel.” This work, published in 1805, made the location famous.

View of fenced access to wooded area of Roslin Glen

Rosslyn Chapel overlooks beautiful wooded Roslin Glen [Image by David Dixon from Wikimedia Commons, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/]

Founding And Construction Of Historic Rosslyn Chapel

William St. Clair, 3rd Prince of Orkney, founded Rosslyn Chapel, also known as the Collegiate Chapel of Saint Matthew, for his family. The purpose of a collegiate chapel was to pray for the soul of the founder and his deceased family members and to spread intellectual and spiritual knowledge. Four to six priests and two boy choristers served the chapel which was dedicated to St. Matthew the Evangelist.

The ground-breaking for the chapel occurred in September 1546. Despite its location near woodlands, none of original structure was built with timber. Instead, the builders only used and carved in stone. The final structure stands 42 feet high and runs 69 feet in length. In an impressive display of craftsmanship, practically every surface of the chapel offers carvings. Hundreds of figures and scenes surround worshippers.

Carved stonework on the exterior of Rosslyn Chapel

Ornate stone carving adorn mysterious Rosslyn Chapel [Image by Davie Bicker from Pixabay]

Hard Times For The Historic Chapel

The Scottish Reformation in 1560 brought an end to Catholic worship in Rosslyn Chapel. Its altars were subsequently destroyed in 1592 and the structure mostly abandoned. Disuse led to the structure falling into ruin and becoming overgrown by nature.

Queen Victoria’s visit in 1842 resulted in better days for the chapel. The monarch expressed a desire for preservation of the structure. Restoration work took place in 1862 with the chapel’s rededication in April of that year. From that time to the present, services have occurred in the structure which now operates under the jurisdiction of the Scottish Episcopal Church.

Black and white picture of Queen Victoria seated holding a fan and wearing a crown

Queen Victoria was instrumental in the restoration of Rosslyn Chapel [Image by W. & D. Downey from Wikimedia Commons, public domain]

Mysterious Rosslyn Chapel Skyrockets To Fame

Historic Rosslyn Chapel served as a popular tourist destination for generations. It began appearing on travel itineraries by the late 18th century. Nevertheless, the chapel shot to worldwide fame with the publication of Dan Brown’s novel The Da Vinci Code in 2003. The subsequent 2006 movie starring Tom Hanks simply added to Rosslyn Chapel’s visibility.

This boost to knowledge of the historic mysterious Rosslyn Chapel came from the huge success of Brown’s book. It stands as one of the most popular books ever with over 81 million copies published. The movie made based on the book drew further attention with beloved actor Tom Hanks in a starring role. The story involved a murder in the Louvre which led Tom Hanks’ character to follow clues to solve the crime. The investigation took Hanks and his co-star to Rosslyn Chapel where scenes were filmed on location.

Front view of actor Tom Hanks in a dark gray suit and tie seen from the chest up.

A 2006 movie starring Tom Hanks put historic mysterious Rosslyn Chapel in the spotlight [Image by Peabody Awards from Wikimedia Commons, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/]

What’s So Mysterious About Rosslyn Chapel?

Since the late 1980s, speculative theories linked historic mysterious Rosslyn Chapel with the Knights Templar, the Holy Grail, and Freemasonry. This speculation is fueled by the supposed display of many Templar symbols at the chapel. For example, the “Two riders on a single horse” found on the Knights Templar Seal appears. Nevertheless, the Knights Templar dissolved 150 years before Rosslyn Chapel’s construction. Medieval historians thus discount any connection between the chapel and the Knights Templar.

Specific plant carvings around a window also give rise to speculation. Some claim they depict maize or Indian corn. If correct, these claims pose interesting questions. Maize originates from North America which Columbus discovered in 1492, some 50 years prior to the construction of Rosslyn Chapel. These carvings led to a suggestion of secret travel to the Americas by William Sinclair’s grandfather long before Columbus. Scholars, however, believe any resemblance to maize is merely coincidental.

Ornate stonework and stained glass windows in the interior of Rosslyn Chapel

Ornate carvings appear in historic Rosslyn Chapel giving rise to stories and speculation [Image by Mike McBey from Wikimedia Commons, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/]

Intriguing Stories About Carvings in Mysterious Rosslyn Chapel

More than 110 carvings of Green Men appear throughout mysterious Rosslyn Chapel. They display human faces with greenery all around them, including growing out of their mouths. This image is associated with pagan mythologies across numerous cultures. A Green Man symbolized man’s capacity for both great goodness and great evil. The greenery sprouting from its mouth is believed to represent the growth and fertility of nature. While medieval churches usually contained one or two Green Men, Rosslyn Chapel has them everywhere. Why so many? Another mystery.

Before release of Dan Brown’s novel and the movie starring Tom Hanks, the unparalleled Apprentice Pillar served as Rosslyn Chapel’s great draw. The most elaborately decorated pillar in the chapel provides the basis for a chilling story. According to legend, an apprentice mason, inspired by a dream, carved this pillar in the absence of the master mason. When the master mason returned and saw the apprentices’ stunning achievement, he flew into a jealous rage. He struck the apprentice on the head with his mallet, killing him. As punishment for committing this crime, the master mason’s face was carved into the opposite corner of the chapel where he would forever look upon his apprentice’s pillar. A carving called the Apprentice’s Head, showing a wound above his temple, sits on the other side of the chapel’s entrance.

A Must See Tourist Destination

The historic mysterious Rosslyn Chapel should appear on the itinerary of anyone visiting Scotland. The structure stands for its founder’s deep faith, the power of fame (novelists and royalty), and man’s ability to create beauty. While its breathtaking ornate stonework inspires awe, the chapel also engages the mind. It connects someone on site with the past and makes them think of what may, or what may not, have occurred during the chapel’s existence. Rosslyn Chapel offers a perfect mix of history and mystery.

A Look Inside The Chapel

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About Alice H. Murray

After 35 years as a Florida adoption attorney, Alice H. Murray now pursues a different path in the publishing industry. With a passion for writing, she is constantly creating with words. Her work includes contributions to several Short And Sweet books, The Upper Room, Chicken Soup For The Soul, Abba’s Lessons (from CrossRiver Media), and the Northwest Florida Literary Review. Alice is a regular contributor to GO!, a quarterly Christian magazine in the Florida Panhandle, and she has three devotions a month published online by Dynamic Women in Missions. Her devotions have also appeared in compilation devotionals such as Ordinary People Extraordinary God (July 2023) and Guideposts’ Pray A Word A Day, Vol. 2 (June 2023), pray a word for hope (September 2023), Too Amazing For Coincidence: Heavenly Interventions (August 2024), pray a word for strength (September 2024), and God’s Constant Presence: Held In His Hand, January 2025. Alice’s first book, The Secret of Chimneys, an annotated Agatha Christie mystery, was released in April 2023. Her adoption devotional, God Adopted Us First – Faith Lessons from an Adoption Attorney’s Adventures was published in October 2025. Winged Publications released Alice’s second Agatha Christie annotation, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, in December 2025. Alice’s latest book baby is Sightings: 52 Devotion For Spotting God In Daily Life, published in June 2026. On a weekly basis, Alice posts on her blog about current events with a humorous point of view at aliceinwonderingland.wordpress.com. You can read more about the author here.

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