James of Saint George

James of St. George, Jacques de Saint -Georges d' Espéranche, (* 1230, † 1309) was a medieval architect of castles. In particular, he served King Edward I of England as a builder (master mason ) for its castles in Wales. James was born in Savoy, which has influenced his style. In general, little is known about medieval architect, James, however, is relatively well documented because of his long work for Edward I.

Structures

In his first castles in Wales, Flint Castle and Rhuddlan Castle, both started in 1277, he used unusual variations of the rectangular courtyard of the Castle.

The castles of Harlech, Beaumaris and Conwy bear his signature the most. Characteristic here are about the round towers at the corners of the ring walls and heavily fortified gatehouses. The castle of Caernarfon, although also designed by him, however, has octagonal wall towers.

The total investment James reached into the time from 1283 to 1295 back to two different floor plans. The hilltop castle Harlech Castle and the lowland castle Beaumaris Castle have a very symmetrical shape with concentric double ring walls, which are particularly strongly fortified in Beaumaris. Conwy and Caernarfon, however, are elongated and less symmetrical. There, an outer defense ring with all or - as in the case of Conwy - only rudimentary available.

The door system of Denbigh Castle, in addition to the two flanking towers, a third tower defended the gate in, should also have been designed by James of St. George.