Gundulf
Known as the 'weeping monk of Bec'. Gundulf came across from Normandy after the Norman
Conquest with Lanfranc. Gundulf was well known and admired for his building skills
and Lanfranc used Gundulf to rebuild his Cathedral. In 1077 Gundulf was made Bishop
of Rochester and a year later William the Conqueror used Gundulf's skill in the
construction of the White Tower, the keep of the Tower of London.
William Wynford
Master mason who worked on projects at Windsor Castle, Wells Cathedral, Winchester College and New
College Oxford. Wynford worked at Windsor Castle from 1360 and work here included the Great Gate
and the royal lodgings in the upper ward. While Wynford was at Windsor, the clerk of the works
was William of Wykeham. Wykeham was to become the Bishop of Winchester Cathedral and when
work was needed to convert the Norman Cathedral to the Perpendicular style, Wynford was
employed to perform the task. Work began on 29th of September, 1394. It is believed that William
Wynford worked on the geometic Old Wardour Castle. During his long career Wynford worked
mainly in the south-west of the country.
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James of St George
The Master Mason responsible for the design and construction of Edward I's castles
in the north of Wales during the conflict with the Welsh and Llewelyn.
Edward met James whilst travelling in Savoy. Impressed by his skills of castle
building, Edward brought James back to England and by 1278 James was in North
Wales working on castles there. Castles that James built include Flint, Rhuddlan,
Harlech, Beaumaris and Caernarvon but there are many more. In many castles he used
a concentric plan where a succession of nested walls and towers were built, the
walls getting taller towards the centre of the castle. In these castles there are
no central keeps, but one or more of the wall towers are large enough to be used
in the same way.
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