William MacDowall facts for kids
William MacDowall (died 1580) was an important Scottish priest and a master builder. He worked for three Scottish rulers: Mary, Queen of Scots, her mother Mary of Guise, and James VI of Scotland. His job was to oversee the building and repair of many famous castles and palaces. The title 'sir' was used in Scotland for a priest who did not have a university degree.
William MacDowall's Building Career
William MacDowall started his career in 1535. He helped manage a stone quarry for the building of Holyroodhouse, a royal palace. During a time of conflict called the Rough Wooings, he helped make weapons at Edinburgh Castle.
Later, from 1554 to 1556, he worked for Mary of Guise. He helped build strong defenses against the English. He also collected money to pay for these important building projects. In 1558, he repaired parts of Edinburgh Castle and Holyroodhouse.
From August to October 1558, William MacDowall was busy on the Island of Inchkeith. He directed the building of a storage house for weapons. This helped complete a fortress designed by an Italian engineer named Lorenzo Pomarelli.
As the chief builder for Edinburgh city council, MacDowall measured materials and made deals with stonemasons. He worked on projects in places like Newhaven. For St. Giles, he bought wood for the roof in 1555. He also got wood for seating in 1557.
After Mary of Guise passed away, MacDowall stayed at Edinburgh Castle. He was later allowed to use a small house at St. Paul's Work. After the Reformation in 1560, he was not hired by the city for a while. The city then turned part of St Giles Kirk into a new city hall.
Even though the city did not hire him, William MacDowall worked for Mary, Queen of Scots. He repaired organs at Holyroodhouse. On September 12, 1561, he visited Inchkeith to direct repairs to the fortress there. In November 1561, he checked the defenses at Dunbar Castle with an expert gunner.
MacDowall continued to work on many royal projects. He was at Stirling Castle in October 1566. In February 1567, he worked on an archery range at Holyroodhouse. He also had projects at Linlithgow Palace and Edinburgh Castle. Work continued in Edinburgh from August 1567 to February 1568. He also made repairs at Blackness Castle until December. As master of work, he checked on craftsmen who looked after the palaces. These included William Robertson, the roofer, and Steven Loch, the glassmaker.
In September 1570, he started work at Stirling Castle. He also worked at the Edinburgh money-making building at Holyrood. In March 1573, he worked on the stables there. In April 1574, he began to oversee the building of the famous Half Moon Battery at Edinburgh Castle. By this time, his yearly pay was £150 Scots. As the chief builder for Regent Morton, he built a long room called a gallery at Stirling Castle. He also built another gallery at Holyroodhouse, which was painted by Walter Binning.
In October 1579, he finished projects for the special welcome of James VI into Edinburgh. In November, he prepared a sand arena for a horse riding game called "running at the ring" at Holyroodhouse for the young king. William MacDowall passed away soon after this.
Church Roles
William MacDowall was a priest. Besides his pay for building work, he also received income from several churches. He became the vicar of the church in Leswalt in 1559. After William's death, his church roles were given to others.
