Basic Biographical Details

Name: William Wallace
Designation:  
Born:  
Died: 1631
Bio Notes: William Wallace was initially employed as a carver at Edinburgh Castle. In addition to his work there he was paid for making moulds for plasterers. He was Master Mason to the Scottish Crown from 18 April 1617 until his death in 1631. He lived in Musselburgh and travelled to Linlithgow and Stirling for the royal works there. He was paid expenses to do so.

In 1621 he was admitted a burgess of Edinburgh and was later Deacon of the masons’ lodge.

From 1628 he was employed on Heriot’s Hospital. When he died his widow and children were left in straightened circumstances and his wife petitioned the governors of Heriot’s for assistance, which they agreed to give. The governors asked for any remaining ‘muildis and drauchtis’ that she might still have. This and other extracts from the correspondence (which must be quoted in secondary sources as Colvin does not give a primary source for their origin) show without doubt that Wallace designed Heriot’s Hospital with its Anglo-Flemish Mannerist decoration. Other buildings on which he worked share some of the same characteristics and it is therefore clear that Wallace was important in the spread of the Anglo-Flemish style in Scotland. Other buildings have been attributed to him on stylistic grounds.

Wallace died in 1631.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 1Musselburgh, Midlothian, ScotlandPrivate16181619 

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 1William Aytoun Before 1631Assistant 

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 91615Edinburgh Castle, King's Lodgings  EdinburghScotlandResponsible for Anglo-Flemish style work on this building
Item 2 of 91618Linlithgow PalaceLinlithgow West LothianScotland'new wark' on north side
Item 3 of 91620s(?)Monument to Arthur Hamilton, Master Wright to Charles I  Scotland  
Item 4 of 91620s(?)Moray House  EdinburghScotlandPayment of £100 due from 'the lady home' (i.e. Mary, Dowanger Countess of Home who had built Moray House from about 1625.
Item 5 of 91620Pinkie HouseMusselburgh MidlothianScotlandOriginal L-plan house attributed to Wallace on stylistic grounds
Item 6 of 9c. 1620Winton HousePencaitland East LothianScotlandAfter Wallace's death 500 merks due to his estate ' in acknowledgement of his panes in his Lordships' works'.
Item 7 of 91622Fountain and Sundial (extant)Dundas Estate West LothianScotland10 Sept 1622, work began on this day, subsequent to an agreement between Sir Walter Dundas and William Wallace
19 July: final payment to Wallace for the completed fountain and sundial.
Item 8 of 91628George Heriot's Hospital  EdinburghScotlandResponsible for design
Item 9 of 9c. 1629Greyfriars Churchyard, John Byres Monument  EdinburghScotlandWas owed 500 merks after his death for this monument by Byres' widow.

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 5Colvin, Howard2008A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840 London: YUP. 4th edition 
Item 2 of 5Dunbar, John G1966Historic Architecture of Scotland  pp54-5
Item 3 of 5MacGibbon and Ross Castellated and Domestic Architecture of Scotland  v ii, pp520-9, v iv, p144, v v, pp559-60
Item 4 of 5Mylne, R S The Master Masons to the Crown of Scotland  PP70-78
Item 5 of 5New DNB New Dictionary of National Biography  Article by Richard Fawcett

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Builder1851ix p770
Item 2 of 2Country Life6 March 1975   

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 1NAS National Archives of ScotlandRecords with prefix CCCC 8/8/56, ff.39v-40v