Categories

• 20th century military structures (16)
• Abbeys, Cathedrals and monastic sites (4)
• Archaeology (5)
• Architecture (8)
• Balmerino - History of the Parish (7)
• Balmerino - Postcards of the area (6)
• Balmerino area - Local Reminiscences (2)
• Battlefields (3)
• Churches (2)
• Fortifications (3)
• Mary Stuart (4)
• Mary Stuart Portraits (22)
• Military Connections (4)
• Prehistoric Sites (16)
• The Picts (18)
• The Romans (8)
• Vikings in Scotland (13)

Related articles

• Medieval Architects in Scotland - Introduction
• Medieval Architects in Scotland - 12th Century
• Medieval Architects in Scotland - 13th Century
• Medieval Architects in Scotland - 14th Century
• Medieval Architects in Scotland - Royal Palaces
• William Adam
• Robert Adam

Subscribe

RSS / Atom

Links

Alternative Time Team Forum
Building History
Deltiology2601
Ex Preteritus
Exploratio
Finds Database
My FlickR Images
Ourpasthistory Image Gallery
Portable Antiquities Scheme
Scottish Artefact Recovery Group
Treasure Trove in Scotland
UK Detectornet
ukdn newsletters
Water Newton Full report
Yorkshire History

ourpasthistory.com » Scotland

Medieval Architects in Scotland - 15th Century

The fifteenth century saw another wave of building. During the century we find, paradoxically, the influx of French and Flemish influence, and the emergence of a distinctive national style. English influence declined, and apart from an occasional perpendicular window , is rarely found. This change in foreign influence can be seen at Melrose Abbey.

John Morow (Jean Moreau?) whose two inscriptions are on the West wall of the transept may have been the architect, one of the inscriptions tells us that he was born in Paris.

At Glasgow, where Morow claims to have " had in kepyng al masoun werk" , Bishops lauder and Cameron were about this time building the Chapter House, sacristy, central tower and spire, and probably the rood screen, and he may have had a hand in some of this. The spire of Glasgow Cathedral is thought to have inspired the later octagonal stone spire characteristics of Fife , and as Morow also claims to have worked at St. Andrews, he may have introduced this feature. The earliest of the Fife series is at Holy Trinity Church, St. Andrews dating from the early part of the century.

Flemish influence seems to have made itself felt in furniture and fittings rather than in the buildings themselves. Cornelius Aeltre an eminent carpenter of Bruges made stalls for shipment to Melrose Abbey about 1441. Bruge tapestries were brought to Linlithgow Palace in 1436, and contemporary Scottish painting shows Flemish influence. Even earlier John Crab, son of a Flemish engineer had been at the siege of Berwick, and when he dies in 1384 he left £50 to his son for the upkeep of the Bridge of Dee at Aberdeen.

Several Scottish craftsmen are mentioned about the mid-century chiefly working on castle repairs. Andrew Balfour, a carpenter, was paid for making furnishings for the coronation in 1460, and shortly after, he was working at Ravenscraig and Doune castles. Andrew Lesouris, friar and carpenter was working at Ravenscraig Castle repairing the chapel, all between 1461 and 1468; and in 1460 Thomas Hector, sculptor, rented land near Paisley and agreed to practice his art for the Abbey there. Two bridges were being built over the Tay at this time, at Dunkeld and at Perth. The latter was in the charge of John of Pelis, who received payments in 1464, 1464 and 1487.

The rental book of Cupar Abbey gives some valuable information on craftsmen employed there in the second half of the century. The crafts often seem to have been family affairs, and we find craftsmen taking a son or nephew as an apprentice, for a period varying from six to nine years, but usually seven. In 1492 Thomas Mowtra was appointed resident mason for a period of five years. He was paid five marks yearly and in addition received food, half a gallon of convent ale each day, land and a house, and also one of the abbots cast-off tunics reaching to his ankles , each year.

Much information is available about the craftsmen employed at Aberdeen about the end of the century. In 1484 John Gray was appointed master mason at the re-building of St. Nicholas's church. he agreed to work himself, to superintend the other workmen, and to be "lele and trew............for all the dais of his life....". His salary was £23.16.8d. quarterly, and he appears to have died by 1495 for in that year Richard Ancram was appointed to the post at a slightly reduced salary. The woodwork at St. Nicholas was by John Ferdour who did a considerable amount of work about this time. In 1495 he was paid for the "making of the ruff and tymmir of the queyr...". In 1507 he contracted for the quire stalls which he had already begun and for which he was to receive £200 Scots "with ane bontay according to that (i.e. the provost and the bailies' ) honour". These stalls were finished by 1508 and can still be seen. In 1511 Ferdour is referred to as having made "The tymmir werl of the grat stepile" of Aberdeen cathedral. He must have employed a considerable staff, and a method of mass production because all of the choir stalls of St. Nicholas are identical, and identical panels are found in the desk of St. Nicholas, the screen of King's College Chapel which must be by him, and two more of unknown use are in the crypt of the chapel there.

The stalls of King's College Chapel

Comment

Navigate for more: Medieval Architects in Scotland - Royal Palaces Medieval Architects in Scotland - 14th Century