Bishop Forbes
© Rosslyn Templars
Bishop Robert Forbes (1708 -1775) was the Episcopalian Bishop of Caithness. Although commemorated at St Giles he is of interest to us because he was the author of the first known guide book of Rosslyn Chapel. An Account of the Chapel of Roslin was first published in 1774. Whilst others had previously described the chapel, Forbes was the first to publish a single and detailed work devoted entirely to that subject.
An Account... is extremely important because it was written by some one intimately knowledgeable about Rossly Chapel and allows us a singular insight to how the chapel was perceived during the 18th century.