Rosslyn Chapel restoration underway

The ornate carvings at Rosslyn Chapel

By Cara Sulieman

WORK IS getting underway to preserve one of Scotland’s most famous and important chapels.

Rosslyn Chapel in Midlothian starred in the blockbuster Da Vinci Code and has seen a massive increase in visitor numbers since.

But thanks to a botched repair job in the 1950s the roof is crumbling and has been sealed off for some time.

The Rosslyn Chapel Trust is looking to secure a further £1 million to ensure that a £9 million restoration can be completed within the next year.

Work is set to start next month on a brand new roof for the chapel, restoring the building to its former beauty.

It is famous for the intricate carvings that line the walls of the small chapel, and the rumoured connections to the Knights Templar.

Work has already begun on restoring the stained glass windows in the main body of the building.

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Da Vinci Code author “twisting history” claims Scots masonic expert

By Alexander Lawrie

A SCOTTISH masonic expert has blasted Da Vinci Code author Dan Brown for “twisting history” in his new book.

The plot of Brown’s new book has been one of the most guarded secrets in publishing history, but is widely expected to use Scotland as his source material.

The Lost Symbol is released on Tuesday and the cover of the US edition features various Scottish masonic symbols.

But author Ashley Cowie, whose own book The Rosslyn Templar sheds new light on the chapel’s many secrets, has slammed Brown for writing “fiction not fact” concerning the world-famous church.

Brown’s new book features the symbol of the 33rd degree of the Scottish rite of Freemasonry, the highest rank within the craft in this country, and is widely expected to condemn the first US President George Washington as a traitor.