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Medieval Architects in Scotland - 12th Century
Until the Wars of Independence, Scottish architecture was largely under English influence and many Scottish buildings must have been designed by masters either English or who had visited England, but whose names are now lost.
Even as early as 710 Nectan IV , King of the Picts, sent to Jarrow for architects to build a church in his nation after the Roman fashion. Jarrow had been built, with Monkswearmouth , about 30 years before by Benedict Biscop, who according to Bede, had brought masons from Gaul, and it has been suggested that the lower part of Restenneth Priory is due to the masons sent in answer to his request. A similar story is told to the effect that St. Ninians Candia Casa " ....was built by masons who came from St. Martins Abbey at Tours " in the 5th century, but this seems very doubtful.
The great spate of building in England following the Conquest did not affect Scotland for about half a century, and then it was due to the reforms in the Scottish church begun by St Margaret and continued by her sons Alexander I (1107-24) and David I (1124 -53). Both of these kings founded new sees and monasteries and introduced Anglo-Norman ecclesiastics and doubtless Anglo-Norman Masons.
The first important building of this reform was St Rules church as St Andrews c 1130-40 which is of North of England type and has been shown by Dr. Bilson to have been almost certainly built by the masons who built the church at Wharram-le-Street in Yorkshire. David I was a noted Francophile, and he is said by Bellenden to have "sent to France and Flanders and brought right crafty mason" to build Holyrood Abbey which he founded in 1128.
Dunfermline Abbey was also begun in that year, and here again English Influence is seen. The pier decoration, scalloped capitals and main arcade arch moulds certainly connect the building with Durham Cathedral, which by 1128 was finished but for the nave vaults. But at Dunfermline there is little of Durham above the nave arcade and it seems likely that there was a pause in building before the gallery and clearstory stories were added.
The architect of Durham is unknown, but Dunfermline was probably by Master Ailricus to whom land was granted c 1140. Dunfermline was finished by 1150, and that some of the masons then moved on to Dalmeny church has been shown by a careful study of the masons marks there.
Some of the marks found are also repeated at Leuchars church which was finished c 1185 and which has decided resemblances to Dalmeny
MASONS MARKS AT LEUCHARS
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The wide spread influence of Durham can also be seen at Kirkwall Cathedral begun 1137, the architect of which is usually said, though apparently on no good authority, to be Kol, a Norwegian. Other Scottish buildings such as Jedburgh Abbey, have stylistic connections with English buildings , but their designers cannot be named.
The next mason known by name is Walter, who gave land to Kelso Abbey in 1159, and c 1165 Scott with several assistants from Kelso was employed at St. Machars Cathedral, Aberdeen. Kelso Abbey was in progress at that time and Scott may have worked there, but all work of this period at Aberdeen has long since disappeared. Another mason towards the end of the century was Master Roger of Forfar who appears as a witness to a charter , and who had perhaps worked on the Royal Palace of Forfar.
During the transition to Gothic which occurred towards the end of the 12th century, Scotland formed part of the artistic province of Northern England in which Cistercian influence gave rise to the earliest uses of the style.
Roche Abbey in Yorkshire c 1170 was earliest, and its influence can be seen in a great series of Abbeys immediately following. The upper parts of Kelso West end show this Cistercian Gothic influence at the end of the century - Jedburgh is related to Hexam and Lanercost; Dryburgh is said to have the same masons marks as Hexam; and Arbroath (1178-1233) has features linking it with Byland Abbey in Yorkshire. These buildings must have been the work of a school of masons in close touch with each others developments.
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