John Scrimgeour of Myres
Encyclopedia
John Scrimgeour of Myres Castle
near Falkland, Fife
was Master of Work for royal buildings for James V and Mary, Queen of Scots, and Precentor
of the Scottish Chapel Royal.
He and his father held their lands by right of an hereditary office as sergeant-of-arms or macer to the King of Scotland. John Scrimgeour kept the building accounts for most of the works of James V from 1529, especially for Falkland Palace
and Holyroodhouse and most of these accounts survive. As well as supervising building work and contracts, Scrimgeour also collected taxes, mostly from church lands, which James V had allocated to the works.
From the tax on church lands granted to James V for his expenses in France, from October 1536 to September 1538, Scrimgeour received £4996-7s-10d.
Scrimgeour was briefly eclipsed between 1538 and 1540 when Sir James Hamilton of Finnart
was appointed Principal Master of Work with higher authority, and during the first years of the regency of James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran who employed a kinsman, John Hamilton of Milneburne. In September 1553 he spent £2333-6s-8d on Arran's works. He was however employed by Mary of Guise
and her daughter, Mary Queen of Scots. He seems to have died in the year 1563, after an exceptionally long innings in post. He was succeeded by sir William MacDowall, who had long been a clerk in the works.
The National Library of Scotland has a volume of heraldic
writings which belonged to John Scrimgeour, including a bestiary
. He was married to Helen Little. Children included a son, William.
. These were published in full in 1957, and record projects at Holyroodhouse, Stirling Castle
, Edinburgh Castle
, Falkland Palace
, Linlithgow Palace
, and other lesser works.
Myres Castle
Myres Castle is a Scottish castle situated in Fife near the village of Auchtermuchty . Its history is interleaved with that of nearby Falkland Palace with present day castle construction dating to 1530...
near Falkland, Fife
Falkland, Fife
Falkland is a town and former royal burgh, formerly known as the Parish of Kilgour c1300AD in Fife, Scotland at the foot of the Lomond Hills.According to the 2008 population estimate, the village has a population of 1,180.- History :...
was Master of Work for royal buildings for James V and Mary, Queen of Scots, and Precentor
Precentor
A precentor is a person who helps facilitate worship. The details vary depending on the religion, denomination, and era in question. The Latin derivation is "præcentor", from cantor, meaning "the one who sings before" ....
of the Scottish Chapel Royal.
He and his father held their lands by right of an hereditary office as sergeant-of-arms or macer to the King of Scotland. John Scrimgeour kept the building accounts for most of the works of James V from 1529, especially for Falkland Palace
Falkland Palace
Falkland Palace in Falkland, Fife, Scotland, is a former royal palace of the Scottish Kings. Today it is in the care of the National Trust for Scotland, and serves as a tourist attraction.-Early years:...
and Holyroodhouse and most of these accounts survive. As well as supervising building work and contracts, Scrimgeour also collected taxes, mostly from church lands, which James V had allocated to the works.
From the tax on church lands granted to James V for his expenses in France, from October 1536 to September 1538, Scrimgeour received £4996-7s-10d.
Scrimgeour was briefly eclipsed between 1538 and 1540 when Sir James Hamilton of Finnart
James Hamilton of Finnart
Sir James Hamilton of Finnart was a Scottish nobleman and architect, the illegitimate son of James Hamilton, 1st Earl of Arran, and Mary Boyd of Bonshaw....
was appointed Principal Master of Work with higher authority, and during the first years of the regency of James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran who employed a kinsman, John Hamilton of Milneburne. In September 1553 he spent £2333-6s-8d on Arran's works. He was however employed by Mary of Guise
Mary of Guise
Mary of Guise was a queen consort of Scotland as the second spouse of King James V. She was the mother of Mary, Queen of Scots, and served as regent of Scotland in her daughter's name from 1554 to 1560...
and her daughter, Mary Queen of Scots. He seems to have died in the year 1563, after an exceptionally long innings in post. He was succeeded by sir William MacDowall, who had long been a clerk in the works.
The National Library of Scotland has a volume of heraldic
Heraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
writings which belonged to John Scrimgeour, including a bestiary
Bestiary
A bestiary, or Bestiarum vocabulum is a compendium of beasts. Bestiaries were made popular in the Middle Ages in illustrated volumes that described various animals, birds and even rocks. The natural history and illustration of each beast was usually accompanied by a moral lesson...
. He was married to Helen Little. Children included a son, William.
Works
Scrimgeour supervised the construction of timber 'lists', barriers and stand for a tournament at St Andrews in May and June 1538. This was peparation for the formal reception of Mary of Guise at the town. A series of complete building accounts for the Royal Palaces of James V written by Scrimgeour for audit purposes between 1529 and 1541 survive in the National Archives of ScotlandNational Archives of Scotland
Based in Edinburgh, the National Archives of Scotland are the national archives of Scotland. The NAS claims to have one of the most varied collection of archives in Europe...
. These were published in full in 1957, and record projects at Holyroodhouse, Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, is one of the largest and most important castles, both historically and architecturally, in Scotland. The castle sits atop Castle Hill, an intrusive crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill geological formation. It is surrounded on three sides by steep...
, Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is a fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, from its position atop the volcanic Castle Rock. Human habitation of the site is dated back as far as the 9th century BC, although the nature of early settlement is unclear...
, Falkland Palace
Falkland Palace
Falkland Palace in Falkland, Fife, Scotland, is a former royal palace of the Scottish Kings. Today it is in the care of the National Trust for Scotland, and serves as a tourist attraction.-Early years:...
, Linlithgow Palace
Linlithgow Palace
The ruins of Linlithgow Palace are situated in the town of Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland, west of Edinburgh. The palace was one of the principal residences of the monarchs of Scotland in the 15th and 16th centuries. Although maintained after Scotland's monarchs left for England in 1603, the...
, and other lesser works.