Wednesday May 18th 2022
One of Rosslyn Chapel’s green men carvings.
Rosslyn Chapel will be celebrating its famous ‘Green Men’ carvings with a special day of activities on Saturday 28 May.
Green men are faces with leaves, greenery and other foliage sprouting from their mouths that are found in churches, abbeys and cathedrals and are one of the most popular images from medieval church architecture. Rosslyn Chapel, which was founded in 1446, has over 100 examples, inside and outside the building.
Throughout the day on 28 May, there will be a variety of fun family activities, including storytelling, face painting, crafts, trails and a giant interactive Lego activity. These activities are included in the normal admission price for the Chapel and admission is free for children in a family group.
In the evening, architectural historian and author Richard Hayman will give a talk about the history of the green man. Illustrated with examples from around the UK, including medieval illuminated manuscripts, the talk will show how the green man came to be a common sight carved in wood or stone in British churches and will be followed by a tour to highlight some of the green men carvings inside the Chapel. Richard Hayman said: ‘Until the end of the nineteenth century, almost all representations of the green man are found in churches and Christian books, but the ways in which the representation, and meaning, of the figure has changed over the past thousand years will be described and illustrated.’
Tickets for daytime visits or for the evening talk can be booked at the Chapel’s website www.rosslynchapel.com
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