ourpasthistory.com » Scotland
Medieval Architects in Scotland - Introduction
An important change in outlook on medieval architecture has become apparent in the last few decades, due partly to the influx of continental scholars but mostly to the study of documents to put the subject on an adequate historical footing. We now know much more about the medieval building industry and about the master masons - the men responsible for the buildings that have come down to us. In England as long ago as 1762-71 Horace Walpole , in his "Anecdotes of Painting" made some attempt to identify individual artists; he was followed by others, and in the 20th century great advances were made, culmination in the important works by Harvey and Salmon.
The general lack of study of Scottish Architecture is chiefly no doubt due to the lack of documents. Very few have survived comparable to those found in England. However despite this nearly two hundred masons and carpenters who worked in Scotland before C 1550 are known by name. The majority have no remaining work associated with tem , but this is a large enough number to deserve careful study.
Too much emphasis has been sometimes placed on mere names. To know the name of the master mason of a building is interesting but not very illuminating unless his name can be linked with some other building, or something discovered of his personality which is almost always impossible.
In Scotland too, quite early interest was taken in this subject. JS Robertson seems to have been the first in the field with his two papers published in 1851, but these made little useful contribution, and did not even seem to arouse any interest. Towards the end of the 19th century , Mylnes valuable work and P MacGregors Chalmers interesting attempt to identify the work of John Morrow both appeared. The latter is interesting in that it shows complete acceptance of the architectural function of the master mason. McGibbon and Ross were less sure of this , but devoted some space to the subject.
Tags: balmerino
Comment
Navigate for more: Medieval Architects in Scotland - 12th Century Battlefields of Scotland