New director of Rosslyn Chapel vows to overcome the Da Vinci hype
Rosslyn Chapel must move beyond the hype of The Da Vinci Code if it is to remain a "world-class visitor attraction", the new director of the historic site's administrative body said last night.
Setting out his vision for the development of the 560-year old chapel, Colin Glynn-Percy said that one of his main aims was to expand the educational element for visitors.
"The Da Vinci Code has been the main element in increasing visitor numbers to the chapel - we had 150,000 come this year", he said. "But it is reckoned as the hype of the film falls away over the next couple of years, visitor numbers will fall off.
"We have to convey this interest to other groups so they will come here too."
Mr Glynn-Percy said that he wanted to see all school children in the area to visit the chapel. [sic]
"There are many strands of European history that meet together here, right on their doorstep," he said.
He added, however, that before this can be done the visitor centre had to be expanded radically. "At the moment we don't have the facilities for information displays that can accommodate schools or people who have particular religious or Masonic interests, and this is something that we will look to have."
The past five years have proven to be a golden period for the chapel, which has seen its fortunes rise and fall many time over the centuries.
The current popularity stems mainly from American author Dan Brown's book The Da Vinci Code, which drew heavily on the buildings associations ['alleged' surly ought to be inserted here? - Ed.] with the Holy Grail.
But while the expansion of the information centre, expected to open in 2008, is a major plank of Mr Glynne-Percy's plans, the conservation and restoration of the chapel itself is also a priority.
Work to undo disastrous attempts to damp-proof the building during the 1950's continues apace, but further work is planned.
"We need to maintain the chapel as a world-class visitor attraction," he said. [why?] "Refurbishment work on the chapel will start in two years time, and include both the cleaning of the stone and the stained glass."
The whole project, including the visitor centre, will cost around £12 million and fundraising is already underway.
Andrew Russell, a trustee and chairman of the management committee, welcomed the appointment warmly, saying: "The next few years will certainly be the most challenging since the Trust was formed 11 years ago and we are fortunate to be joined by someone of Colin Glynne-Percy's experience and calibre.
"Our priority is to make a visit to Rosslyn Chapel an experience of which Scotland can be proud and to set new standard in conservation. We are confident that our new direction will tackle the challenge with vigour and enable us to secure the long term future of this iconic building."
Mr Gylnne-Percy admitted that while he had watched and the film, he had as yet not read The Da Vinci Code, but said that he intended to do so.
Craig Brown, The Scotsman, 21st December 2006.
This is a most intriguing article. It suggests a major shift away from the hyperbole of The Temple and The Lodge (1988) culminating with The Da Vinci Code (2003), and all the stuff in between, which makes us wonder how the new director of Rosslyn Chapel will 'educate' Freemasons (he is not a Freemason) about Freemasonry. He has not been in contact with the Grand Lodge of Scotland in this regard.