William Wallace (mason) facts for kids

Winton House, rebuilt by Wallace in the 1620s

William Wallace (died 1631) was a skilled Scottish master mason and architect. He worked for King James VI as his King's Master Mason. This important job meant he was in charge of many royal building projects.

Early Career and Royal Projects

William Wallace started working on the King's Lodgings at Edinburgh Castle around 1615. This was a big project for the King. On April 18, 1617, he officially became the King's Master Mason. He kept this important role until he passed away.

Rebuilding Linlithgow Palace

In 1618, Wallace was asked to rebuild a part of Linlithgow Palace. A section of the palace had fallen down in 1605. Wallace was not only the builder but also the designer for this project. He used a special style called Anglo-Flemish, which was a mix of English and Flemish (from Belgium/Netherlands) designs. He helped make this style popular in Scotland.

Other Important Buildings

After Linlithgow Palace, Wallace worked on Winton House, near Pencaitland. He worked on this house for George Seton, 3rd Earl of Winton from 1620 to 1627.

In 1621, he became a burgess of Edinburgh. This meant he was an official citizen of the city. Later, he became the Deacon of the Edinburgh Masons Lodge. This was a leading role among the masons in Edinburgh.

From 1628 until his death, Wallace was busy designing and building Heriot's Hospital. This was a school, and he designed it in the same Anglo-Flemish style. He was likely the main designer of this large building. Other people continued the work after he died.

One of Wallace's last projects was carving a monument for John Byres of Coates. This monument is in Greyfriars Kirkyard in Edinburgh. He also had debts for work done at Moray House for the Countess of Home.

Possible Other Works

Some experts believe that William Wallace also designed Pinkie House. They also think he created the first plans for Drumlanrig Castle. These ideas are based on the style of the buildings. However, there are no old papers or documents to fully prove he worked on them.