Chapel visit to inspire ‘Stonemasons of the future’

A group of Stonemason Apprentices paid a visit to Rosslyn Chapel recently to ‘inspire the Stonemasons of the future’.

The group was from Historic Environment Scotland – The Stirling Skills Training Centre, which is one of just three places in Scotland where Stonemason Apprentices are trained as part of the qualification ‘Modern Apprenticeship in Stonemasonry’.

Apprentices complete a four-year apprenticeship, with a specialism in either Banker masonry (workshop based, cutting masonry components) or Fixing (on site, setting out, building masonry structures). They attend the training centre as block release while being employed by a business which undertakes stonemasonry work. The class for the visit was a group from the second year of their apprenticeship, with a mixture of Historic Environment Scotland and externally employed apprentices, as well as a mixture of both Banker and Fixer apprentices.

The group was led by Callum Plews, the Craft Skills Training Manager (Senior Lecturer). He said: ‘As part of their Modern Apprenticeship qualification, the apprentices complete a Professional Development Award (SCQF Level 6), with one of the units from this qualification being ‘The Repair of Masonry Structures’. As part of the introduction and theory for this unit, the class used the example of the work undertaken at Rosslyn Chapel to discuss the conservation techniques and philosophy used. My lecturing colleague Jason Boag and I both grew up in Penicuik, so Rosslyn Chapel and some of the local legend surrounding its history were a big inspiration for both of us in pursuing a career in Stonemasonry. This visit was the first time that the majority of this group had visited Rosslyn Chapel, so it was a brilliant experience to see that this building continues to inspire the Stonemasons of the future – and there were a few audible gasps when the class learned the story of the Apprentice Pillar!’

According to legend, the Chapel’s famous ‘Apprentice Pillar’ was designed by the Master Mason’s young apprentice, while the master was away. On his return and seeing the work of beauty, he flew into a jealous rage and struck the apprentice with a mallet, killing him on the spot. The Master Mason was then put death for murder.

Posted in Conservation