Walter Binning

Walter Binning, or Bynning was a painter in 16th-century Edinburgh.

There were several painters and glaziers called "Binning" working in Edinburgh and for the royal court in 16th-century Scotland. It has been speculatively suggested that there was some family connection with the Flemish miniature painter Simon Bening.^[1]

In January 1540 with two colleagues Walter Binning painted 49 guns at Edinburgh Castle with red lead, including their breech loading chambers, slots and bands, and painted the ropes binding the guns on their stocks with tar, and 50 bass guns.^[2]

He was paid by the guild of the Hammermen of Edinburgh for painting cloths and a religious image.^[3]

He worked for Regent Arran in Edinburgh, Hamilton, and Linlithgow. In February 1549 he painted the roof or ceiling of the governor's lodging in Edinburgh, which was then located in Chambers Street. This was for the wedding of Barbara Hamilton and Lord Gordon.^[4] In October 1551 he was working at Hamilton and was provided with gold and silver leaf, a pound of azurite, a pound of vermilion, a pound of red lead, glue (probably for distemper paints) and sheets of Lombard paper.^[5] In October 1552 he painted the Regent's lodging in Linlithgow.^[6]

In 1554, Edinburgh painters led by Walter Binning assaulted an outsider, David Workman, who had been painting a ceiling.^[7]

In July 1558 he painted scenery and costume for a triumph or show to celebrate the marriage of Mary, Queen of Scots and Francis II of France, held on Edinburgh's High Street, and written and produced by William Lauder and William Adamson.^[8] Binning painted the "play cart" with the signs of the seven planets.^[9] In February 1562 the royal treasurer paid him £20 Scots, possibly for painting work in connection with the masques and mummery at the wedding of Lord James Stewart and Agnes Keith.^[10]

Walter Binning painted the new north gallery of Holyrood Palace in 1577.^[11]

Binning had a property near the High School and the old Black Friars.^[12] He paid five shillings annually for the "land" belonging to Blackfriars where he lived.^[13] In October 1567 he was asked to return building materials salvaged from the Friary to the site for the construction of a new hospital at Trinity College Kirk. Binning had made a yard or garden on part of the churchyard and the town council ordered this to be removed.^[14]

After Binning's death his house came to be the property of a stonemason, Walter Biccarton.^[15]

Glaziers and painters[]

In Edinburgh the craft and trade of a decorative painter overlapped with the profession of a glazier. Robert Binning glazed David's Tower and the chapel in Edinburgh castle in January 1540, and also painted and gilded carved heraldry at Holyrood Palace.^[16] In August 1555 and 1559 Walter Binning was listed with glaziers in the minutes of the Edinburgh incorporation of masons and wrights. The other were; John Sampson, Thomas Watson, Adam Symmer (or Somer), Thomas Bynning, James Hunter and John Yairds.^[17] James Hunter eventually became the king's glazier in October 1584, though Mary, Queen of Scots appointed Steven Loch first, in May 1562.^[18][19]

In August 1550 lead and glass was sent to Hamilton Palace, and Walter Binning supplied glass with the arms of Regent Arran.^[20] In January 1552 Walter Binning supplied glass for the windows of Regent Arran's chamber in Edinburgh, and in 1553 a horse was hired to take glass he had supplied to Hamilton.^[21]

Thomas Binning worked as a glazier providing glass to the Tolbooth and council house in 1563.^[22] His brother David Binning (d. 1576) was made as a burgess a glazier or glasswright in April 1569. David Binning was paid 5 shillings to paint on the pillar of repentance in St Giles' Kirk, "This is the place appoyntit for publick repentence".^[23]

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