A Programme for Royal Tombs in Scotland? A Review of the Evidence, c.1093-c.1542

Abstract

First paragraph: Recent scholarship has urged caution about too readily accepting a smooth narrative of ‘programmatic' medieval royal tomb design. That is, of a mausoleum church where a monarch was able not only to dictate the presentation of their own tomb within a new or refurbished architectural and spiritual context; but also the retrospective re-presention of the tombs of their predecessors interred there (and also often elsewhere). This concept could integrate liturgy, music, veneration of altars, saints and relics, and thus coloured or decorated stone, lights, glass, vestments, wall or board painting, sculpted images, heraldry and texts, forging a strong dynastic statement of legitimacy, sacrality and even sanctity. However, all too often disruption to programme intent could result from political crises, war, fire, economic slump, patronal changes-of-mind or executor self-interest, and the sourcing of craftsmen and materials for tomb commissions which took years or building campaigns which took decades. Scholars must heed such difficulties in surveying the scant Scottish evidence for programmatic royal tombs.