Christopher Wren

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

Although others in his office, especially Nicholas Hawksmoor, may have had a bigger role in designing some of the churches, Wren also built many other 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 scientific work was highly regarded by famous scientists like Isaac Newton and Blaise Pascal.

Life and works

Sir Christopher Wren was born in East Knoyle in Wiltshire, 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 later attended 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 was responsible for rebuilding 51 churches, including St Paul's Cathedral, which became one of his most famous works. Wren was also active 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, at age 37, he married his childhood neighbor, Faith Coghill, who was 33. Faith was the daughter of Sir John Coghill of Bletchingdon. Not much is known about Faith, but one of Wren's love letters to her still exists.

They had two children together. Their first son, Gilbert, was born in October 1672 but passed away when he was about 18 months old. Their second son, Christopher, was born in February 1675 and later became an architect, trained by his father. Faith passed away from smallpox in September 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 did not meet until six weeks after their wedding. Together, they had two children: a daughter named Jane and a son named William, who was born in 1679.

Sadly, Jane Wren passed away in 1680, likely from a sickness, though this is not certain. 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 not only an architect but also a skilled scientist. He made many important discoveries and inventions. One of his friends, Robert Hooke, praised him highly, saying that few people had ever combined such skill in both practical work and deep thinking.

Wren built special tools to study the stars and the planets. He created a model of the Moon that caught the attention of the king. He also worked on studying Earth’s magnetism, helped build early telescopes, and even injected a substance into a dog to learn about the body. Wren invented a rain gauge to measure rainfall and designed a weather clock to track different weather conditions. His ideas and experiments influenced many areas of science, including how we understand motion and light.

Architectural career

See also: List of works by Christopher Wren

Christopher Wren was a famous architect, astronomer, mathematician, and physicist 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 complete.

Wren started his career 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 continued to influence the design of important places in London.

Freemasonry

Some people believe that Sir Christopher Wren was connected to a group called Freemasonry. They say he was an important member of a lodge called the Lodge of Antiquity. This happened around the time he was building St. Paul's Cathedral. However, there is some confusion about whether he was truly a member or just honored by the group. Some records suggest he may have attended a meeting in 1691, but there is no strong proof that he held a high position in the group.

Over time, stories about Wren’s connection to Freemasonry have been shared and discussed, but historians are not certain about the details.

Achievement and legacy

Christopher Wren was featured 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 even helped design a set for one show called Question Time that was filmed in St. Paul's Cathedral.