Christopher Wren

Sir Christopher Wren was an English architect, astronomer, mathematician, and physicist. He is one of the most acclaimed architects in the history of England. He worked in the English Baroque style and rebuilt 52 churches in the City of London after the Great Fire in 1666. His most famous building is St Paul's Cathedral, finished in 1710.

Others in his office, especially Nicholas Hawksmoor, helped design some of the churches. Wren also built many important buildings. These include the Royal Hospital Chelsea, the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, and the south front of Hampton Court Palace.

Wren studied Latin and Aristotelian physics at the University of Oxford. He helped start the Royal Society and was its president from 1680 to 1682. His science work was respected by famous scientists like Isaac Newton and Blaise Pascal.

Life and works

Sir Christopher Wren was born in East Knoyle in Wiltshire. He was the only surviving son of Christopher Wren the Elder and Mary Cox. His father was a priest and later became Dean of Windsor. Wren was educated at home and then went to Westminster School. He studied at Wadham College, Oxford, where he learned Latin and the works of Aristotle.

After finishing his studies, Wren became a fellow at All Souls' College and later a professor at Gresham College in London. He helped start the Royal Society, a group for scientists. In 1669, he became the King's Surveyor of Works. After the Great Fire of London in 1666, he helped rebuild the city. He rebuilt 51 churches, including St Paul's Cathedral, which is one of his most famous works. Wren also took part in public affairs and served in Parliament several times.

Marriage to Faith Coghill Wren

Sir Christopher Wren was already well known in his work by 1669. That year, he married his childhood neighbor, Faith Coghill, who was 33. Faith was the daughter of Sir John Coghill of Bletchingdon.

They had two children together. Their first son, Gilbert, was born in 1672 but passed away when he was very young. Their second son, Christopher, was born in 1675 and later became an architect, trained by his father. Faith passed away from smallpox in 1675 and was buried next to Gilbert in the chancel of St Martin-in-the-Fields. After her death, Wren’s mother-in-law took care of their young son Christopher.

Marriage to Jane Fitzwilliam

In 1677, Sir Christopher Wren married Jane Fitzwilliam, the daughter of William FitzWilliam, 2nd Baron FitzWilliam. Jane was not well known to Wren's friends, and they met only six weeks before their wedding. They had two children: a daughter named Jane and a son named William, born in 1679.

Sadly, Jane Wren passed away in 1680. She was buried in a church in London. Wren never married again and lived a long life until he was over 90 years old.

Scientific career

Sir Christopher Wren was an architect and a scientist. He made many discoveries and inventions. His friend, Robert Hooke, said that few people had such skill in both practical work and deep thinking.

Wren built tools to study the stars and planets. He made a model of the Moon that interested the king. He studied Earth’s magnetism, helped build early telescopes, and invented a rain gauge to measure rainfall. He also designed a weather clock to track weather. His work influenced many areas of science.

Architectural career

See also: List of works by Christopher Wren

Christopher Wren was a famous architect in England. He became well-known for designing many churches after a big fire in London in 1666. His most famous building is St Paul's Cathedral, which took many years to finish.

Wren began by designing buildings for colleges and universities. He traveled to Paris and met other famous architects, which helped shape his style. Later, he worked on many important buildings, including monuments, libraries, and hospitals. Even as he grew older, Wren kept influencing the design of important places in London.

Freemasonry

Some people think Sir Christopher Wren might have been part of a group called Freemasonry. They say he could have been an important member of a lodge named the Lodge of Antiquity. This was around the time he was building St. Paul's Cathedral. But we do not know for sure if he was really a member or just honored by the group. Some records say he might have gone to a meeting in 1691, but there is no strong proof that he had an important role in the group.

Over time, stories about Wren’s link to Freemasonry have been told and talked about, but historians are still not sure about the facts.

Achievement and legacy

Christopher Wren was shown on the back of the first modern British £50 banknote. These notes were printed from 1981 to 1994 and were used until 1996.

The Greenwich Hospital, which Wren helped design, was named a World Heritage Site in 1997 for its special architecture and art. He also helped design a set for a show called Question Time that was filmed in St. Paul's Cathedral.