Lordship and Architecture in Medieval and Renaissance Scotland

by Richard Oram (Editor), Geoffrey Stell (Editor)

These essays constitute the first radical reassessment since the nineteenth century of the role of architecture as an expression of lordship and status among Scottish secular and ecclesiastical elites in the period c.1124–c.1650. These studies of the architectural patronage of particular families or groups explore how the nobility operated socially and economically, as well as politically, in the organisation and structure of lordship throughout the medieval and renaissance periods. The contributors draw on the traditions and strengths of Scottish genealogical, archaeological and art-historical enquiry to illustrate key themes, which family or kindred styles in building on a local, regional or national level; builders' or patrons' motives; the scale and use of the buildings; and ascertainable changes in function, purpose and attitude.

260 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2003

About the author

Professor Richard D. Oram F.S.A. (Scot.) is a Scottish historian. He is a professor of medieval and environmental history at the University of Stirling and an honorary lecturer in history at the University of Aberdeen. He is also the director of the Centre for Environmental History and Policy at the University of Stirling.

He received his undergraduate training at the University of St. Andrews, where he also carried out his doctoral research, on medieval Galloway. In 2000 he published The Lordship of Galloway (Birlinn). He has since written a biography of King David I of Scotland (Tempus, 2004), and the High Medieval volume, volume 3, in the New Edinburgh History of Scotland series, entitled Domination and Lordship: Scotland, 1070-1230 (2011).

Reviews

[Kaiti · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wound up skimming a bunch of this, as I was looking for information specifically on building materials in Medieval Scotland (which the book doesn't have all that much information on). It was still pretty interesting though, with lots of information on the major noble families in Scotland from various periods and where they were living, and how their land passed between various members of families. Lots of good photographs, too!