mark james
IAP Collection, Curator
As we embark on the annual BASH festivities tomorrow, this is the final tale.
Pen Turning Lore, Myths and Fables - XV
King Edward I and Philip the Carpenter
King Edward I and Philip the Carpenter
Edward I (Aka, Edward Longshanks; The Hammer of the Scots; Lord Edward) was King of England from 1272 to 1307. A condensed summary of his life is simple - Tame the English Barons, take in a trip to the Holy Land on a leisurely Crusade, overrun the Welsh, deal with those thirsty Scots, and find time to have a war with the French. However for this portal into his life, we will peer into his adventures as a real estate developer: The Iron Ring of Castles in Wales; and more specifically, the craftsmen he enlisted to fulfill his aspirations.
Returning from a pleasant siesta battling the armies of the Sultan of Egypt, Lord Edward had occasion to share a pint or two with Maitre Jacques de Saint-Georges d'Espéranche (Let's just call him Jacque), who was an architect and Master Stone Mason from Savoy.
As the ale loosened Edwards tongue, he shared his desire to eventually build a series of fortresses in Wales to protect the English settlers he desired to relocate out of London. But he had yet to enlist craftsman to begin the drafts. Being recently unemployed, Jacques submitted an impressive resume, enlisted several of his merry men, and off they went in the company of the future King; presumably to have a grand time on Edward's pub tab.
Those accompaning Edward and Jacque included: Philip the Carpenter, Master Bertram, Steven The Painter, Master Manasseh de Vaucouleurs and several others.
Plans were begun, Edward mustered his brawling buddies and in grand fashion convinced the Welsh that an Iron Ring of Castles occupied by vacationing Londoners would be good for tourism.
In reviewing initial plans for the system of castles, Both Edward and Jacque desired that the castles be more than simply fortresses. They wanted these structures to be architecturally appealing. The main castles included: Harlech Castle, Caernarfon Castle, Conwy Castle, Rhuddlan Castle, and Beaumaris Castle.
Many discussions between the King, the stone masons, and the architects ensued. No consensus was made on the patterns the stone masons would follow. The aesthetics was important,… more ale was needed. After a long evening and many rounds, Philip the Carpenter rose to take leave and picked up his parcel of tools - out they spilled onto the table.
Before Philip could sputter an apology and collect his tools, the King and stone masons beheld the artistry of Philip. For each tool, Philip had fashioned intricate handles of detailed segmented wood. Each tool had its own pattern resembling brickwork. Some were rounded, some were square and others had a combination of profiles to match the hand of the craftsman.
In short, the segmented tools of Philip the Carpenter laid the premise for the intricate stonework designs of the mighty Castles of Wales. They had their inspiration.
So all you pen segmenters who like to experiment with
"brick and castle" designs,
take heart in the inspiration of Philip the Carpenter.
And psst… Enter the
Segmented Pen Contest.
Pen Turning Lore, Myths and Fables I - John Hancock's Signature
Pen Turning Lore, Myths and Fables II - Elon Musk and the Chase for his Roadster
Pen Turning Lore, Myths and Fables III - The Scribe, the Master Segmenter and World Peace.
Pen Turning Lore, Myths and Fables IV - The Path to Pen Turning Enlightenment.
Pen Turning Lore, Myths and Fables V - The Tortoise and the Hare.
Pen Turning Lore, Myths and Fables VI - The War of the Roses.
Pen Turning Lore, Myths and Fables VII - The First Marathon
Pen Turning Lore, Myths and Fables VIII - The Fountain of Youth
Pen Turning Lore, Myths and Fables IX - Banjo O'Leary and the Call of the Kookaburra.
Pen Turning Lore, Myths and Fables X - Pandora's Box.
Pen Turning Lore, Myths and Fables XI - Leonardo da Vinci.
Pen Turning Lore, Myths and Fables XII - Einstein's Pen.
Pen Turning Lore, Myths and Fables XIII - Hans and his Satchel.
Pen Turning Lore, Myths and Fables XIV - Edison's Cube.
Addendum: The Four Little Penturner's
