The founder, Sir William St Clair, third and last prince of Orkney (1396-1484), lord of the nearby Rosslyn Castle, called upon craftsmen from different European countries in order to create a unique building. Started in 1446, work finished in 1486, culminating in a chapel with such an abudance of sculpture that it defies description. From this profusion of detailing, the exceptional Apprentice Pillar emerges.