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for, though no work was done.8 At
Canterbury the masons had to bring their own tools, but they were
sharpened at the employer's cost.9
From other sources it is possible to name a few of the men
who were engaged on the work, for in 1390 exemption from jury service
and other duties was granted for three years to Thomas Hoo, mason, James
Gylot, mason, John Brien, mason, and John Woller, carpenter,
"employed in certain works round the church of Crichurche,
Canterbury;10 in 1393 a further exemption for five years was
granted to James Gilot and John Brian, masons, John Wolward, carpenter
(no doubt identical with Woller), John Broun, plumber, John Bernesale,
smith, and John Pir11; and in 1397 another exemption of five
years to John Brian, mason, John Broun, plumber, and John Pirye,
surveyor and clerk of the works, "at the supplication of Thomas
Prior of Christ Church Canterbury and for the speedier completion of the
works of that church."12
A mason named Thomas de Hoo had worked at Westminster in
1352 during the completion of St. Stephen's Chapel at 5 1/2d. a day,13
and was very likely the same man that we find at Canterbury; in 1380
Thomas Hoo, richard Cook, Richard Weyland, John Asshe, Geoffrey atte
Well and James Gylot, masons of Canterbury, were all at work "on
the fabric of Christ Church Canterbury" and received exemptions for
two years14; in 1381 William Londoneys, a mason working for
the Archbishop on the new
city wall was given |
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exemption
for one year15; and in 1387 Londoneys, Cook, and James Gilet were appointed "to take and set to
work on the city enclosure of Canterbury the necessary masons and other
labourers, at the wages of the commonalty of that city, and to provide
stone, lime, etc. with carriage" for one year.16
Thomas Hoo, John Wulward, and John Pirye all appear at
Christmas 1398 as esquires of the Prior in receipt of robes of his
livery, and with them were Henry Yvele (Yevele) and Stephen Lote.17
Yevele was the King's Master Mason, a very important architect, and an
influential citizen of London; Lote, his junior partner (for example in
the making of tombs for Richard II and for Cardinal Langham in
Westminster Abbey) and successor in office. In the account for 1396/7
Yevele appears selling lead and stone to the Prior to a total value of
over £90, a very considerable sum. This may imply that he carried on a
business in building materials on a large scale, but not necessarily so,
for from 1385 and probably earlier he had been in charge of work on the
walls of the city and close of Canterbury,18 and since 1390
upon the donjon of the castle,19 and may have had surplus
materials to dispose of officially.
During the fifteenth century, at the building of the
south-west tower, there was again a large staff of masons engaged, under
the direction of Master Thomas Mapilton, "magister Lathomorum",
who |