Master James of Saint George (c. 1230–1309; French: Maître Jacques de Saint-Georges, Old French: Mestre Jaks, Latin: Magister Jacobus de Sancto Georgio) was a master of works/architect from Savoy, described by historian Marc Morris as "one of the greatest architects of the European Middle Ages".[1] He was largely responsible for designing King Edward I's castles in North Wales, including Conwy, Harlech and Caernarfon (all begun in 1283) and Beaumaris on Anglesey (begun 1295).[2]
A comparison of the rose window of Canterbury Cathedral (top left) with the rose window of Lausanne Cathedral (top right) and the west window of Lausanne Cathedral (bottom left) with the eastern hall window of Conwy Castle (bottom right)
There is little firm documentary evidence of James’ early life and origin. However, we have very strong circumstantial evidence that his place of birth was Saint-Prex in or around the year 1230. We know for certain that his father was also an architect mason named John. This strong evidence related to his father, including year of death and architectural style lead to the conclusion that John was Jean Cotereel the builder of Saint-Prex and Lausanne Cathedral.[3][4] Of particular interest are the similarities of the rose windows at Canterbury Cathedral and Lausanne Cathedral and the similarity of the west window of Lausanne Cathedral to that of the eastern hall window later built at Conwy Castle.[5]
Alpine works
The career of “Magistro Jacobo” began with the construction for Peter II, Count of Savoy of Yverdon-les-Bains Castle.[6] At Yverdon James was at first working with his father John, but by 1265 he is recorded as working alone, likely indicating the death of his father. From his apprenticeship to his father he went on to work under the guidance of an engineer from Gascony, who had previously worked for Henry III of England, Jean de Mézos. James worked at the Château de Melphe at Salins-les-Thermes at works dictated by Mézos in 1267-68.[7]
Following the death of Peter II, Count of Savoy in 1268 he went on to work for his successor, Philip I, Count of Savoy. Unlike Peter, who had preferred Chillon Castle as his main residence, Philip preferred the Viennois which was closer to his former see of Lyon. Philip began construction of a new palace castle at Saint-Georges-d'Espéranche. Building the castle would be Magistro Jacobo, his name "Saint George", acquired following his move to England, is a reference to this castle of Saint-Georges-d'Espéranche. We know from recently highlighted sources from the Savoyard archive that James did indeed have a house at Saint-Georges up until his subsequent move to England.[8] The first reference to this name in English records is Magistri Jacobi Di Sancto Georgio on 8 November 1280, two years after his arrival into England. His patron, King Edward I, probably met Master James of St George whilst returning from Crusade and visiting Savoy in 1273. It was 25 June 1273 that King Edward I of England visited Saint-Georges-d'Espéranche[9] so that his great-uncle Philip I, Count of Savoy might pay homage to him in fulfilment of an earlier 1246 treaty whereby the castles of Bard, Avigliana, the palace of Susa and town of Saint-Maurice had been enfeoffed to the King of England.[10]
James was responsible for the castles constructed for Philip I, Count of Savoy in the Viennois between 1270 and 1275 at Saint-Georges-d'Espéranche, La Côte-Saint-André, Voiron and Saint-Laurent-du-Pont. It is very possible that the simultaneous construction of these castles, three round tower castles and one octagonal tower palace castle, influenced Edward’s decision to hire him to construct the castles in north Wales. Perhaps his last work in Savoy was at Châtel-Argent in the Aosta Valley in the summer of 1275.
There is an archival gap of the career of Magistro Jacobo between 1275 when he is last recorded in Savoy and 1278 when first recorded in Britain. Marshall has suggested that he may have been working at this time for the family of Otto de Grandson who was close to both Edward I of England and the comital family of Savoy. Such work may have included Grandson Castle and Lucens Castle. [11]
Historian and Author A. J. Taylor uncovered, what had been a mystery for centuries in discovering, the Savoyard origins of James, that Jacques de Saint-Georges and Master James of Saint George were one and the same man. Taylor travelled from Wales to Savoy noting for the first time the origins of the Welsh works in Savoy. Taylor citing the garderobes at La Bâtiaz Castle, the windows at Chillon Castle along with the town walls at Saillon as examples[12][13]
Comparison of three pinnacled merlons, upper at Conwy and lower at the Castello di San Giorio di Susa
British works
Following the short war of 1277 between Edward I of England and Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, following the latter’s refusal to pay due homage, James was called from Savoy to England to the service of the king. The earliest references in the English records of James of St George are found in April 1278 describing him as "eunti in partibus Wallie ad ordinandum opera castrorum"[14] translates as “going to Wales to put in order the works of the castles” there, that is the Mason charged with the design, technical direction and management of the works underway in Wales[15] He is recorded as travelling to Wales, "visitandum castra de Flint et Rothelan" at which time four new castles were being built: Flint, Rhuddlan, Builth and Aberystwyth.[16] Historian A. J. Taylor records that from 1277 until 1280 his main work was to supervise the building of Rhuddlan Castle and the canalisation of the River Clwyd before turning to Flint.[17] Flint Castle is similar in concept to that built by Master James earlier at Yverdon-les-Bains[18]
He was appointed Master of the Royal Works in Wales (Magistro Jacobo de sancto Georgio, Magistro operacionum Regis in Wallia) around 1285, drawing a wage of 3s. a day.[19][20] This appointment gave him control of construction in all its aspects of castles at Conwy, Caernarfon and Harlech.[21] An example of the way in which he brought the finer points of architecture from Savoy to north Wales would be three pinnacled merlons to be found at the it:Castello di San Giorio di Susa and at Conwy Castle. We now have primary sources that establish a direct link placing Master James at both Susa and Conwy Castle. [22] Harlech Castle, begun in 1283, was effectively completed in 1289. On 3 July 1290, James of St George was appointed Constable of Harlech Castle, succeeding John de Bonvillars who had died in August 1287. He held this position until 14 December 1293.
His final Welsh castle was Beaumaris, on which work started in April 1295. Described by historian Marc Morris as Master James' "most perfectly conceived castle", it remained unfinished on his death in 1309.[23]
James of St George had joined Edward I in Scotland, probably around September 1298. In February 1302, James of St George was appointed to oversee to the new defences at Linlithgow. He had also worked at Stirling during the siege of 1304.
There is no record of James's wife, Ambrosia, receiving a pension after his death, so it is probable she did not survive him. He would be survived by his two sons, Giles and Tassin of Saint George.
^Roth, Leland M. (1993). Understanding Architecture: Its Elements, History and Meaning (1st ed.). Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press. pp. 271. ISBN0-06-430158-3.
^Taylor, A.J. (1985). Studies in Castles and Castle-Building. London: The Hambledon Press.23-24.
^Dipartimento di Lingue e Letterature Straniere e Culture dell’Università degli Studi di Torino. Ed. 2014. A Warm Mind-Shake Scritti in onore di Paolo Bertinetti. Turin. Edizioni Trauben.
^Taylor, A.J. (1950). "Master James of St. George". English Historical Review. 65: 433–457
^Taylor, A.J. (1950). "Master James of St. George". English Historical Review. 65: 433–457
^Taylor, A.J. (1963) "Some notes on the Savoyards in North Wales, 1277–1300. With special reference to the Savoyard element in the construction of Harlech Castle." Genava 11, p 297.
^Dean, Robert J. "Castles in Distant Lands: The Life and Times of Othon de Grandson". 2009. 27–32.
^Morris, John. E. 1901. The Welsh Wars of Edward I. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 145.
^Gravett, Christopher. 2007. The Castles of King Edward I in Wales 1277–1307. Botley: Osprey Publishing. 35–36.
^Coldstream, Nicola. 2016. Writing in Late Medieval Castles. The Boydell Press: Woodbridge. 109.
^Dipartimento di Lingue e Letterature Straniere e Culture dell’Università degli Studi di Torino. Ed. 2014. A Warm Mind-Shake Scritti in onore di Paolo Bertinetti. Turin. Edizioni Trauben.
Gravett, Christopher (2007). The Castles of King Edward I in Wales 1277–1307. Botley: Osprey Publishing. ISBN978-1-78200-520-9.
Hislop, Malcolm (2021). James of St George and the Castles of the Welsh Wars. Barnsley: Pen and Sword Books. ISBN978-1-52674-130-1.
Marshall, John (2022). Welsh Castle Builders. Barnsley: Pen and Sword Books. ISBN978-1-39908-549-6.
Taylor, Arnold (1985). Studies in Castles and Castle-Building. London: The Hambledon Press. ISBN0-907628-51-6.
January 29, 2023
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Master James of Saint George c 1230 1309 French Maitre Jacques de Saint Georges Old French Mestre Jaks Latin Magister Jacobus de Sancto Georgio was a master of works architect from Savoy described by historian Marc Morris as one of the greatest architects of the European Middle Ages 1 He was largely responsible for designing King Edward I s castles in North Wales including Conwy Harlech and Caernarfon all begun in 1283 and Beaumaris on Anglesey begun 1295 2 Master James statue at Beaumaris Castle Contents 1 Origin and early life 2 Alpine works 3 British works 4 References 5 BibliographyOrigin and early life Edit A comparison of the rose window of Canterbury Cathedral top left with the rose window of Lausanne Cathedral top right and the west window of Lausanne Cathedral bottom left with the eastern hall window of Conwy Castle bottom right There is little firm documentary evidence of James early life and origin However we have very strong circumstantial evidence that his place of birth was Saint Prex in or around the year 1230 We know for certain that his father was also an architect mason named John This strong evidence related to his father including year of death and architectural style lead to the conclusion that John was Jean Cotereel the builder of Saint Prex and Lausanne Cathedral 3 4 Of particular interest are the similarities of the rose windows at Canterbury Cathedral and Lausanne Cathedral and the similarity of the west window of Lausanne Cathedral to that of the eastern hall window later built at Conwy Castle 5 Alpine works EditThe career of Magistro Jacobo began with the construction for Peter II Count of Savoy of Yverdon les Bains Castle 6 At Yverdon James was at first working with his father John but by 1265 he is recorded as working alone likely indicating the death of his father From his apprenticeship to his father he went on to work under the guidance of an engineer from Gascony who had previously worked for Henry III of England Jean de Mezos James worked at the Chateau de Melphe at Salins les Thermes at works dictated by Mezos in 1267 68 7 Following the death of Peter II Count of Savoy in 1268 he went on to work for his successor Philip I Count of Savoy Unlike Peter who had preferred Chillon Castle as his main residence Philip preferred the Viennois which was closer to his former see of Lyon Philip began construction of a new palace castle at Saint Georges d Esperanche Building the castle would be Magistro Jacobo his name Saint George acquired following his move to England is a reference to this castle of Saint Georges d Esperanche We know from recently highlighted sources from the Savoyard archive that James did indeed have a house at Saint Georges up until his subsequent move to England 8 The first reference to this name in English records is Magistri Jacobi Di Sancto Georgio on 8 November 1280 two years after his arrival into England His patron King Edward I probably met Master James of St George whilst returning from Crusade and visiting Savoy in 1273 It was 25 June 1273 that King Edward I of England visited Saint Georges d Esperanche 9 so that his great uncle Philip I Count of Savoy might pay homage to him in fulfilment of an earlier 1246 treaty whereby the castles of Bard Avigliana the palace of Susa and town of Saint Maurice had been enfeoffed to the King of England 10 Comparison of Saillon and Conwy town walls Castle toilets at La Batiaz Chillon Castle windows dimensionally match those at Harlech Castle James was responsible for the castles constructed for Philip I Count of Savoy in the Viennois between 1270 and 1275 at Saint Georges d Esperanche La Cote Saint Andre Voiron and Saint Laurent du Pont It is very possible that the simultaneous construction of these castles three round tower castles and one octagonal tower palace castle influenced Edward s decision to hire him to construct the castles in north Wales Perhaps his last work in Savoy was at Chatel Argent in the Aosta Valley in the summer of 1275 There is an archival gap of the career of Magistro Jacobo between 1275 when he is last recorded in Savoy and 1278 when first recorded in Britain Marshall has suggested that he may have been working at this time for the family of Otto de Grandson who was close to both Edward I of England and the comital family of Savoy Such work may have included Grandson Castle and Lucens Castle 11 Historian and Author A J Taylor uncovered what had been a mystery for centuries in discovering the Savoyard origins of James that Jacques de Saint Georges and Master James of Saint George were one and the same man Taylor travelled from Wales to Savoy noting for the first time the origins of the Welsh works in Savoy Taylor citing the garderobes at La Batiaz Castle the windows at Chillon Castle along with the town walls at Saillon as examples 12 13 Comparison of three pinnacled merlons upper at Conwy and lower at the Castello di San Giorio di SusaBritish works EditFollowing the short war of 1277 between Edward I of England and Llywelyn ap Gruffudd following the latter s refusal to pay due homage James was called from Savoy to England to the service of the king The earliest references in the English records of James of St George are found in April 1278 describing him as eunti in partibus Wallie ad ordinandum opera castrorum 14 translates as going to Wales to put in order the works of the castles there that is the Mason charged with the design technical direction and management of the works underway in Wales 15 He is recorded as travelling to Wales visitandum castra de Flint et Rothelan at which time four new castles were being built Flint Rhuddlan Builth and Aberystwyth 16 Historian A J Taylor records that from 1277 until 1280 his main work was to supervise the building of Rhuddlan Castle and the canalisation of the River Clwyd before turning to Flint 17 Flint Castle is similar in concept to that built by Master James earlier at Yverdon les Bains 18 Flint Castle in North Wales compared with Yverdon les Bains Castle by Lake Neuchatel He was appointed Master of the Royal Works in Wales Magistro Jacobo de sancto Georgio Magistro operacionum Regis in Wallia around 1285 drawing a wage of 3s a day 19 20 This appointment gave him control of construction in all its aspects of castles at Conwy Caernarfon and Harlech 21 An example of the way in which he brought the finer points of architecture from Savoy to north Wales would be three pinnacled merlons to be found at the it Castello di San Giorio di Susa and at Conwy Castle We now have primary sources that establish a direct link placing Master James at both Susa and Conwy Castle 22 Harlech Castle begun in 1283 was effectively completed in 1289 On 3 July 1290 James of St George was appointed Constable of Harlech Castle succeeding John de Bonvillars who had died in August 1287 He held this position until 14 December 1293 His final Welsh castle was Beaumaris on which work started in April 1295 Described by historian Marc Morris as Master James most perfectly conceived castle it remained unfinished on his death in 1309 23 James of St George had joined Edward I in Scotland probably around September 1298 In February 1302 James of St George was appointed to oversee to the new defences at Linlithgow He had also worked at Stirling during the siege of 1304 There is no record of James s wife Ambrosia receiving a pension after his death so it is probable she did not survive him He would be survived by his two sons Giles and Tassin of Saint George Caernarfon Castle built from 1283 Harlech Castle built from 1283References Edit Morris Marc 2012 Castle London Windmill Books 120 Roth Leland M 1993 Understanding Architecture Its Elements History and Meaning 1st ed Boulder Colorado Westview Press pp 271 ISBN 0 06 430158 3 Taylor A J 1985 Studies in Castles and Castle Building London The Hambledon Press 23 24 Marshall John 2022 Welsh Castle Builders Barnsley Pen and Sword Books 31 36 Marshall John 2022 Welsh Castle Builders Barnsley Pen and Sword Books 84 Mario Chiaudano 1933 La Finanza Sabauda nel sec XIII Vol 1 Turin Biblioteca Della Societa Storica Subalpina 63 Archives de la Savoie ADS SA 9312 Dipartimento di Lingue e Letterature Straniere e Culture dell Universita degli Studi di Torino Ed 2014 A Warm Mind Shake Scritti in onore di Paolo Bertinetti Turin Edizioni Trauben Marshall John 2022 Welsh Castle Builders Barnsley Pen and Sword Books 23 CPR Henry III vol 3 1232 1247 469 Marshall John 2022 Welsh Castle Builders Barnsley Pen and Sword Books 68 70 Taylor A J 1950 Master James of St George English Historical Review 65 433 457 doi 10 1093 ehr LXV CCLVII 433 Morris Marc 2012 Castle London Windmill Books 105 112 TNA C 47 4 1 Taylor A J 1950 Master James of St George English Historical Review 65 433 457 Taylor A J 1950 Master James of St George English Historical Review 65 433 457 Taylor A J 1963 Some notes on the Savoyards in North Wales 1277 1300 With special reference to the Savoyard element in the construction of Harlech Castle Genava 11 p 297 Dean Robert J Castles in Distant Lands The Life and Times of Othon de Grandson 2009 27 32 Morris John E 1901 The Welsh Wars of Edward I Oxford Clarendon Press 145 Gravett Christopher 2007 The Castles of King Edward I in Wales 1277 1307 Botley Osprey Publishing 35 36 Coldstream Nicola 2016 Writing in Late Medieval Castles The Boydell Press Woodbridge 109 Dipartimento di Lingue e Letterature Straniere e Culture dell Universita degli Studi di Torino Ed 2014 A Warm Mind Shake Scritti in onore di Paolo Bertinetti Turin Edizioni Trauben Morris Marc 2012 Castle London Windmill Books 140 Bibliography EditGravett Christopher 2007 The Castles of King Edward I in Wales 1277 1307 Botley Osprey Publishing ISBN 978 1 78200 520 9 Hislop Malcolm 2021 James of St George and the Castles of the Welsh Wars Barnsley Pen and Sword Books ISBN 978 1 52674 130 1 Marshall John 2022 Welsh Castle Builders Barnsley Pen and Sword Books ISBN 978 1 39908 549 6 Taylor Arnold 1985 Studies in Castles and Castle Building London The Hambledon Press ISBN 0 907628 51 6 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title James of Saint George amp oldid 1126451299, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
