The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1878-11-14
ROslin Castle and Chanel.

Tradition relates that the design for
this celebrated chapel was drawn at
Rome and, in order that it might be
properly executed, the founder caused
dwellings 10 be built near il for the
workmen, the ancient village being half
a mile distant. lie gave them houses
and lands in proportion TO their abili-
ties, with such salaries as attracted the
best workmen in Scotland and the neigh
boring Kingdoms.
The chapel issurrounded with hand
some stone wall, having an entrance on
the north side, The entry into the
chapel is by two doors, one on the north
the other on the south side. The height
of the chapel within, from the floor to
the top of the arched roof is forty feet
eight inches; breadth, thirty-four feet
eight inches; length, sixty-eight feet,
At the southeast corner there is de.
scent by a flight Of twenty steps, into a
crypt or chapel, partly subtcrraneous,
which Is supposed to have served as
sacristy and yestry; the east end Of the
building isabove the ground, occasioned
by the sudden dcclivity Of the hill The
height is fifteen feet; BREADTH fourteen
feet length, thirty-six feet it is lighted
by single window
The whole chapel is profusely deco.
rated with sculpture both within and
without, On the OutSides are a number
Of inches for statues; but whether any
were ever placed there is doubtful. The
inside is divided into middle and TWO
side aisles, by seven columns on each
side, supporting pointed arches; and
over them, in the middle aisle, which is
higher than those on each side, is n row
Of windows The roof, the capitals,
kcystoncs and architrayes are all GOV,
cred with sculptures, representing flow
crs, foliage, events in sacred history,
texts of Scripture, and grostesquc fig
ures, executed with astonishing neatness.
The prcntices pillar, by some called
the princes pillar, supposed in compIi-
ment to the princcly founder, or, more
probably, from its superiority to the
others, has, on its base, number of
dragons and other monsters, whose in
tcrwoven tails are quite clear Of, or de
tached from, its surface. The dragons
are chained by the heads, and twisted
into one another, This beautiful pillar
has round it, from base to capital, way
ing in spiral way four wreaths of the
most curious sculpture Of fowcr-work
and foliage, the workmanship Of each
being different, and the center of each
wreath distant from that Of the neigh
boring one eighteen inches. These
wrcathings are so fine that they can be
compared to nothing else but Brussels
lace. The ornaments upon the capital
Of this pillar are, the story of Abraham
offering up Isaac, n man blowing on Il
Highland bag-pipc, with another MAN
lying by him.
There is legend related concerning
the building Of this pillar 1t is: That
the master-mason having occasion TO 90
to Rome for further information, on aC-
count Of difficulties he had experienced,
his apprentice, in his absence, carried on
the work and finished this pillar. The
master on his return, stung with envy,
slew him bya blow of his hammer. But
this is all fiction. Similar stories are
told Of other buildings; one, in partic,
ular, of the rose window at Rouen, said
to have been carved by an apprentice,
whose master, out of jealousy, slew him.
The legend aids that, being condemned
tosuter for his crime, no workman could
be found capable OF completing his
work; wherefore he was pardoned by
the Pope, and, having finished the
building, became n monk OF a severe
order