Andrew Mansioun

Andrew Mansioun, or Mentioun or Manschone or Manson, (d. 1579) was a French artist who worked at the court of James V, King of Scots.

[11] During the examination and conservation of the Stirling Heads a drawing made by one of the original carvers was discovered by a conservator-restorer on the reverse of one medallion (a woman in masque costume (STC029), depicting a baluster flanked by mermaids holdings masks, a typical renaissance design.

[12] Carved roundels with the coats of arms of Mary of Guise, Henry II of France, and Regent Arran decorated a house in Blythe's Close on the Castlehill, the upper stretch of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh.

[18] Andrew Mansion made moulds or patterns for six cannon with lion heads and fleur-de-lys, cast under the direction of Hans Cochrane in December 1540.

[21]Four Scottish falconets with 'IRS' (Iacobus Rex Scotorum) royal ciphers were captured by the English at the battle of Solway Moss,[22] and another was recovered from Castle Semple Loch and is now in the collection of Glasgow Museums.

In June 1560, the Dean of Guild, James Barroun, was asked to organise the making of new seating from the timber stored at the Tolbooth.

On 22 February 1555, Andrew and two Flemish colleagues from the royal artillery met the town's master wrights to discuss how the new timberwork of Tolbooth belfy and steeple would be hauled into position.

"[26] In the autumn of 1555, Mansioun was based on the island of Inchkeith where he was in charge of horses and winches during the building of a fortress designed by a Siennese architect Lorenzo Pomarelli for Mary of Guise.

[28] Exchequer documents show that she ordered paintings from Flanders for the altarpiece, and Andrew Mansioun contributed to making the frame.

[32] It has been suggested a payment of £120 Scots to Mansioun in May 1566 was for making a cradle in expectation of the birth of Prince James at Edinburgh Castle.

[33] Mary, Queen of Scots had her own French carpenter or upholster in her household to make and mend her furniture, beds, coffers and palace fixtures, Nicolas Guillebault.

As one of the royal gunners, Andrew was hurt defending Edinburgh Castle from the English invasion of 1544 that opened the war of the Rough Wooing.

He was the chief carpenter at Holyrood Palace for repairs made in September 1579, shortly before James VI came to Edinburgh from Stirling.

[45] Francis Mansioun was the official of the trade organisation in Edinburgh as 'Deacon of the Wrights' in 1595, and as such he was asked to comment on the repair of St Giles Cathedral.