Basic Biographical Details

Name: John Mylne
Designation:  
Born:  
Died: 1657
Bio Notes: John Mylne was the son of John Mylne (died 1621) and his wife Helen Kinneris.

John Mylne assisted his father in the construction of the bridge over the Tay at Perth. However before the completion of the project he left Perth for Edinburgh in 1616 because he had been invited to complete a statue of King James I and VI for the Netherbow Port after the original sculptor, Benjamin Lambert, died suddenly. He undertook further work in Edinburgh and was made a burgess there in June 1617.

He returned north in 1618, either to Perth or to Dundee. In 1620 he entered a contract with David Murray, Lord Scone, to build Falkland Church. He subsequently worked in Aberdeen and was made a burgess of the city 'ex gratia'. In 1627 he became a burgess of Dundee in right of his late father.

By 1629 he had returned to Edinburgh and was working at Holyroodhouse. Two years later he succeeded William Wallace as Master Mason to the Crown. However he resigned this in favour of his son John and returned to Dundee where he undertook various work for the town between 1643 and 1651. In 1643 he was admitted a burgess of Kirkcaldy probably because of work he had undertaken on the church there.

Like his father he was Master of the Masons' Lodge at Scone. He married Isobel Wilson, a native of Perth in 1610. The couple had two sons, John (1611-1667) who followed in his father’s footsteps as a mason and Alexander (1613-1643) who was a sculptor and carver and who is commemorated by a monument in Holyrood Abbey.

John Mylne died in 1657.

Employment and Training

Employees or Pupils

The following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 1Robert Mylne  Apprentice 

Buildings and Designs

This was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details):
 Date startedBuilding nameTown, district or villageIslandCity or countyCountryNotes
Item 1 of 101604Bridge over the River TayPerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 2 of 101616Statue of King James I and VI  EdinburghScotlandCompletion of statue - orginal sculptor was Benjamin Lambert
Item 3 of 10c. 1616Mercat Cross  EdinburghScotlandTook down Cross and re-erected it - in conjunction with mason called Tailefer.
Item 4 of 101622Aberdeen Tolbooth  AberdeenScotlandExecuted the masonry of the new Tolbooth steeple.
Item 5 of 101629Drummond Castle  PerthshireScotlandCarried out some work including an elaborate facted sundial in the garden (dated 1630)
Item 6 of 101629Palace of Holyroodhouse, pond  EdinburghScotland 
Item 7 of 101633Palace of Holyroodhouse, sundial  EdinburghScotlandConstructed with the assistance of his sons, John and Alexander.
Item 8 of 10After 1643City Churches, St Clement's Church and St Mary's Tower  DundeeScotlandRepair of steeple
Item 9 of 10After 1643Fortifications  DundeeScotland 
Item 10 of 10c. 1643Kirkcaldy Old KirkKirkcaldy FifeScotlandRepair and enlargement of church

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 5APSD The Dictionary of Architectureed Wyatt PapworthThe Architectural Publication Society (8v 1852-1892) 
Item 2 of 5Colvin, Howard2008A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840 London: YUP. 4th edition 
Item 3 of 5DNB Dictionary of National Biography   
Item 4 of 5Howard, Deborah1995The Architectural History of SCotland 1560-1660 Edinburgh 
Item 5 of 5Mylne, R S The Master Masons to the Crown of Scotland  Various pages including p113, 114-5