The life of William Schaw

Major building projects, in Scotland as elsewhere, were usually under the control of a master of works, who was in charge of administrative and financial affairs, while the technical supervision and organisation was in the hands of the master mason. The separation of functions was not a rigid one, however, for masters of works were often men with particular expertise and interest in architecture and sometimes took an active part in designing buildings. In the early sixteenth century the kings of Scotland began to appoint principal masters of works, with responsibility for all royal castles and palaces for life, in place of (or in addition to) temporary masters for specific buildings. On 21 December 1583 William Schaw was appointed to the office, as ‘grit maister of all and sindrie his hines palaceis, biggingis and reparationis, and grit oversear, directour and commandar’ of such operations for life.

Details of Schaw's life are sparse, and much of what is known is derived from the Latin epitaph placed over his tomb in Dunfermline Abbey (see plate 1) after his death in 1602. In translation it reads as follows: