15. Building Family Chapels Was a Common Practice Among Medieval Nobility
Chapels are basically smaller versions of churches. Many traditional churches in Europe, particularly those built in the Gothic style, feature numerous “chapels,” which are small rooms jutting out from the main sanctuary. Some people think it is quite unusual that William Sinclair would set out to build his own chapel. However, a common practice during the Middle Ages was for wealthy, noble families to construct their private family chapels, both as indications of their piety and as a means of showing off their wealth. Frequently, landowners who had workers tending to their grounds built chapels as a place for their workers to worship; these managed to evolve into parish churches.
Rosslyn Chapel has long been the place of worship for the Sinclair family. The decision to build a chapel may have been due, at least in part, to the religious persecution that was frequent in Scotland during the Late Middle Ages, particularly under leaders like the aptly-named Bloody Mary. As such, the chapel may have been a haven for the family members to practice their religious beliefs in private without fear of persecution. Some, however, believe that William Sinclair may have built it as a means of ensuring a place for him and his family in heaven.