Stuart Beattie of Rosslyn Chapel

While most of us would like to change the world, Stuart Beattie is on a mission to stop it from changing. Born and raised on a farm in Norfolk, England and educated at Cambridge, Beattie is the project manager entrusted to preserve one of the most famous buildings of our time, Rosslyn Chapel.

Built in 1446 by Sir William St. Clair, Prince of Orkney, the temple is also known as The Bible in Stone or the Chapel of the Grail. Nestled in Scotland's Roslin Glen woods, the chapel is a scenic 30-minute bus ride from downtown Edinburgh. An ornately-carved 15th century medieval structure, Rosslyn stands at nearly 41-feet on a plateau surrounded by lush vegetation. Far below, the North Esk River makes its way through a gorge toward the Firth of Forth.

It's a warm day in the village of Roslin and I've come to meet with Beattie to learn more about his work. We've settled on a bench in the church's garden. As I look up at the scaffolding that wraps the entire chapel, the importance of Beattie's work comes into focus. This sandstone structure withstood the Reformation during the 16th century, as a revolt against principal Christian beliefs swept across Western Europe. It later served as a barn for Oliver Cromwell's troops in 1650, as they besieged nearby Rosslyn Castle. By 1689, the church fell into an abandoned status after it was pillaged and burned by a Protestant mob from Edinburgh. It remained overgrown with vegetation and tucked away in the woods until 1736 when James St. Clair began restorations. Today, both Rosslyn Castle and Rosslyn Temple remain under the ownership of the St. Clair or Sinklir family, which is now spelled Sinclair.