#apprentice pillar

[didanawisgi]

Heinrich Hansen (1821-1890), Rosslyn Chapel, Painting, c. 1860

[didanawisgi]

An interior view showing the Apprentice Pillar and ornate carvings by Roger Griffith - Heaths Picturesque Annual (1835) ( Public Domain )

[thetravellinglittlefairy]

Rosslyn Chapel, Scotland

[didanawisgi]

“Wine is strong, the King is stronger, women are strongest; but above all, truth conquers”

[lets-talk-story]

The Apprentice Pillar

Inside Rosslyn Chapel, in front of the altars, you will see two ornate pillars. Though they are suppose to represent the Tree of Knowledge and the Tree of Life, but they are better known as the Master Pillar and the Apprentice Pillar. And here's why:

Lord St. Clair ordered his mason to carve two ornate pillars for his new chapel. One of these pillars would represent the Tree of Life, while the other would represent the Tree of Knowledge.  The Mason carved the first pillar as his lord bid. But the well traveled Lord St.Clair was disappointed by the results. Lord St.Clair wanted something far more elaborate- like the designs he had seen in other countries. As this was a time before easily spread information- Lord St.Clair sent his Mason abroad to study the work of far off artisans. The Mason's travels took many years to complete.

Meanwhile, the Mason's Apprentice had a seemingly prophetic dream. The Apprentice dreamt about the most beautiful pillar. A pillar that the youth, himself, had made! The Apprentice told Lord St.Clair of this strange dream. As Lord St.Clair was a religious man, he believed that this dream had been sent by God. So Lord St.Clair ordered the Apprentice to carve this dream pillar.

The Mason finally returned home, only to find that the second pillar had been completed without him. Not only had the pillar been completed by his Apprentice, but it was held in higher regards than his own! When the Mason saw his Apprentice, he lashed out in a blind rage. The Mason struck a fatal blow to the Apprentice's skull with this hammer. 

The Mason was hung for murder, but the dead were not forgotten. The Apprentice's face was carved into the church, next to the image of his weeping mother. The Mason face was carved right next to him- forever staring at the Apprentice's pillar.

The End

Notes: The credibility of this story is very weak; due to the fact that this isn't an uncommon story in general, and these aren't the original names of the pillars. But it's a good story and bears repeating nonetheless.

[ducissatenebrarum]

The Apprentice pillar in Rosslyn Chapel

  @sneaky-red-panda: Personally, I would not be able to study in such a magnificent place!

[scotianostra]

The Apprentice Pillar

In Rosslyn Chapel is the stunningly carved pillar known as the apprentice pillar. It is said that the master mason was instructed by Sir William St Clair to build a pillar to match a drawing he had provided. The master mason went to Italy to study the original, and in his absence an apprentice produced the magnificent pillar on view today. The story does not have a happy ending: the master mason was so consumed with envy on his return that he killed the apprentice with a blow from his mallet. The mason and the apprentice are believed to have inspired two of the gargoyles in the chapel.

[ronasworld]

The Three Pillars: Wisdom, Strength and Beauty by musicmuse_ca on Flickr.