CHRISTOPHER WREN

his BIOGRAPHY

Christopher Wren was born in 1632 to a highly placed clergyman of the Church of England, who was knowledgeable in science and architecture, and who became Dean of Windsor. His uncle Matthew had also been Dean of Windsor and later became Bishop of Ely.

Christopher Wren received a then-traditional early education in the classics, in spite of the outbreak of civil war in 1642, and began studies in astronomy and physiology. Christopher Wren graduated from Wadham College, Oxford University, with a B.A. and, in 1653, an M.A. degree. After four years in research as a Fellow of All Souls College at Oxford (eventually receiving a doctorate of civil laws in 1661), Christopher Wren became Professor of Astronomy at Gresham College, London, writing that geometry' and arithmetic were ". . . the only Truths that can sink into the Mind of Man void of all Uncertainty".

Meanwhile, Christopher Wren had received no formal instruction in architecture, but taught himself through an inquiring study of Italian and French treatises and pattern books, including that of Vitruvius, exploring the relationship between immutable natural laws that could be expressed mathematically and their interpretive application to artistic design through mutable rules. Before 1660, Christopher Wren had prepared a treatise on "New Designs Tending to Strength, Convenience and Beauty in Building." It was not until 1665 that Christopher Wren undertook his only architectural visit abroad, where Christopher Wren met with some leading French and Italian architects, including Bernini, during an eight-month stay in France.

In 1661, Christopher Wren participated in the founding of the Royal Society, left his Gresham post to return to Oxford as Savilian Professor of Astronomy (serving until 1673), and was sought after for scientific and architectural advice, Christopher Wren was consulted by King Charles II on the design of the fortifications of Tangier and, as a result, was offered the post of Surveyor General of the Royal Work, upon the death of the incumbent, a position Christopher Wren held from 1669 to 1718 Bishop Sheldon of London consulted him on the had structural condition of the old St. Paul's Cathedra1 and commissioned him to design the Sheldonian Theatre (ca 1664-1669) at Oxford, which made substantial use of his mathematical and structural talents. Also in 1661, his uncle commissioned a new chapel for Pembroke College. Cambridge, which was completed in 1665 as Christopher Wren 's first work of architecture.

Following the Great Fire of 1666, which had hopelessly damaged most of the City of London. Christopher Wren proposed within 10 days an ideal plan for the City calling for straight streets, etc, hich was deemed impractical. Later, however, Christopher Wren was active in establishing new safety regulations for buildings and, significantly, was busy as the chief architect for the rebuilding of over 40 parish churches, developing the single steeple ". . . large enough for a good Ring of Bells ..." as an important British urban design and architectural element, which had considerable later influence in the United States. His principal work, the evolutionary design and construction of the new St. Paul's Cathedral, started soon after 1670 (although Christopher Wren had proposed a reconstructed dome for the former edifice shortly before the fire' and was eventually completed in 1711. In 1698, Christopher Wren became Surveyor of Westminster Abbey.

Christopher Wren was knighted ca 1673, was President of the Royal Society from 1681 to 1683, and entered Parliament in 1685, serving in the House of Common intermittently for a total of about three years (through 17O2) from several residence district. Christopher Wren was interred in St. Paul's in 1723, his marker bearing the legend, in Latin, "Reader, if you seek his monument, look around you."

his ACADEMIC CAREER

As Summerson observed, had Wren died at the age of thirty he would still have been remembered but his entry in the Dictionary of National Biography would have only listed his work as a scientist and a mathematician. His genius in these fields was exemplified by Newton's inclusion of his name, along with those of John Wallis and Christian Huygens, in a list of the three greatest geometers of the age. This page looks briefly at the various academic appointments and achievements that followed his graduation from Wadham with a BA degree in March 1650/1.

  

Official Appointments

Fellow of All Souls (1653-1673) A Fellowship of All Souls was, and remains today, one of the most sought after academic honours in the English-speaking world. The college is unique in Oxford and Cambridge in not accepting undergraduates. Fellows in Wren's day, as today, were provided with rooms and a stipend and were free from all teaching responsibilities to pursue their research. Wren continued to keep a room in All Souls when he took up his Professorship at Gresham (he did not as is sometimes stated resign his Fellowship at that point) and throughout his Savilian Professorship. His connections with the College after that, if any, are unclear.

Gresham Professor of Astronomy(1657-1661) Gresham College Royal Society. was founded by Sir Thomas Gresham in the late sixteenth century to provide adult education in the City of London. It still exists today. Its original premises, just off Bishopsgate, were laid out like an Oxbridge court with rooms around a central space. Each Professor was provided with a set of rooms and a stipend and required to give weekly lectures in both Latin and English to all who wished to attend. A group of academics whom Wren had known since his early days at Wadham regularly met in Wren's rooms and it was after one of Wren's lectures that together they decided to found the

Savilian Professor of Astronomy Oxford(1661-1673) Wren was 29 and already regarded as one of the foremost scientists of his day. His fame was not yet eclipsed by Newton, who was still an undergraduate and whose great works belonged to the decades ahead. From 1661 until 1668 Wren's life was based in Oxford, although the Royal Society meant that he had to make occasional trips to London and in 1665 he spent much of the year travelling on the continent to escape the plague. From 1668 onwards, however, Wren began to spend less time in Oxford and more in London and had to be continually reminded of his teaching responsibilities. Finally in 1673 he gave up the professorship. Wren's reluctance to resign is indicative of his high regard for academia, despite the fact that other responsibilities were increasingly directing his career outside it.

Academic and other Honours

Fellow of the Royal Society (1660-1723) As mentioned above, Wren was a founding member of the Society. His other duties meant that his attendance was patchy.

D.C.L (Oxford, 1661) Doctorate in recognition of his scientific work and his new position as Savilian Professor.

L.L.D (Cambridge, 1661). Doctorate in recognition of his scientific work and his new position as Savilian Professor.

Knighthood (14 November 1673) Bestowed after his resignation from the Savilian chair, by which time he had already begun to make his mark as an architect both in services to the Crown and in playing an important part in rebuilding London after the Great Fire.

President of the Royal Society(1680-82)

 his ARCHITECTURAL career

 

This page lists the official architectural posts that Wren. A list of the buildings for which he could be described "architect" is provided in architectural works. Wren's architectural career started with single small commissions like Pembroke Chapel and the Shedlonian Theatre. As is shown below official posts followed fast and by 1675 Wren was by far the most important architect in England.

Official Appointments

Commissioner for Rebuilding the City of London (1666-7) Appointed along with Pratt and May to join three nominees from the City and carry out a survey of the area destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666. The Committee was also responsible for helping to draft the Rebuilding Act of 1667. This appointed Robert Hooke, Edward Jerman and Peter Mills as Surveyors and it was they who thereafter oversaw the day-to-day rebuilding.

Surveyor of St Paul's Cathedral (1668-1675)(unofficial until 1669) The surveyorship of St Paul's was traditionally held by the Surveyor of the King's Works, but Wren was increasingly involved in overseeing the project for rebuilding. He has been consulted in 1663 over repairs to the old cathedral, and on his return from Paris in 1666 had prepared an elaborate scheme for rebuilding the central crossing. Two reasons can be put forward for Wren's involvement in 1668: firstly Denham, the current Surveyor was ill and secondly Wren was good friends with the current Dean. On Denham's death in 1669, with the reversion of the office of Surveyor-General of the King's Works to Wren it was natural that he should take over responsibilities at St Paul's. From 1669 he is referred to as Surveyor.

Surveyor-General of the King's Works(1669-1718). Wren's most important post and the one that determined his career as an architect, came as an act of preferment directly from the King, who asked Denham to name Wren as his successor only months before his death in March 1669. The King had offered Wren the Surveyorship before in 1661 on Denham's death on the condition that Wren oversaw the fortification of Tangier, but Wren had declined. Initially Wren appointed Edward Bernard as his deputy, presumably to allow him to teach in Oxford during term. An important feature of the post was that it came with a house in Whitehall and a set of offices attached. It was here Wren was to live and direct the major works under his control. The post carried with it responsibility for the upkeep and repair of all the Royal Palaces excluding Greenwich (the Survivorship of which was given to John Webb) and Windsor (the Comptrollership of which went to Hugh May), both of which would later revert to Wren. Although it carried prestige and a reasonable salary, running the King's Works involved an enormous quantity of day-to-day administration which made it increasingly difficult for Wren to spend any time in Oxford. He was forced to resign his professorship there in 1673.

Surveyor for Rebuilding the City Churches(1670-1711). Wren was appointed "to direct and order the dimensions, formes and Modells of the said Churches". Hooke and Edward Woodroffe were appointed as his assistants. The office Wren set up in Whitehall oversaw the rebuilding of fifty churches.

Surveyor for the rebuilding of St Paul's Cathedral (1675-1723) Wren had been arguing for the necessity of demolishing the old cathedral and rebuilding since the Fire but it was only in 1675 that plans were approved and that he was finally officially appointed to oversee the demolition of the old building and the construction of the new which he did from an office he set up on the south side of the cathedral.

Comptroller of the Works at Windsor (1684-1716) On Denham's death the comptrollership of Windsor Castle had passed to Hugh May. On his death it went to Wren. By 1716 when he retired Wren was increasingly frail.

Surveyor of Greenwich Naval Hospital (1696-1716) On Denham's death the comptrollership of Windsor Castle had passed to John Webb. On his death it went to Wren who held the post until he resigned in 1716.

Surveyor of Westminster Abbey (1699-1723) Parliament voted money for the repair of the abbey in 1699 and Wren was appointed to oversee the works. He retained the position until his death.

 his WORK

Buildings attributed to Wren, listed according to date when construction began
Pembroke College Chapel, Cambridge (1663-5)
The Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford (1664-9)
Emmanuel College Chapel, Cambridge (1668-73)
Garden Quadrangle, Trinity College, Oxford (three stages 1668, 1682, and 1728)
The Custom House, London (1669-71)
St Christopher-le-Stocks, Threadneedle Street, London (1670-71)
St Dunstan in the East, London (1670-71)
St Benet Fink, Threadneedle Street, London (1670-73)
St Vedast, Foster Lane, London (1670-73)
St Dionis Backchurch, Fenchurch Street, London(1670-74)
St Michael, Wood Street, London (1670-75)
St Mildred, Poultry, London(1670-76)
St Olave, Old Jewry, London (1670-76)
St Mary-at-Hill, Thames Street, London (1670-76)
St Mary, Aldermanbury, London (1670-76)
St Edmund King and Martyr, Lombard Street, London (1670-79)
St Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside, London (1671-73)
Williamson Building, The Queen's College, Oxford(1671-74)
St George Botolph Lane, London (1671-74)
The Monument, Fish Street Hill, London (1671-76)
St Magnus Martyr, Lower Thames Street, London (1671-76)
St Lawrence, Jewry, London (1671-77)
St Nicholas, Cole Abbey, London (1671-77)
St Bride, Fleet Street, London (1671-78)
Drury Lane Theatre, London (1672-4)
St Stephen, Walbrook, London (1672-79)
Ingestre Church, Staffordshire (1673-76)
Lincoln Cathedral Library, Lincoln (1674-76)
St Stephen, Coleman Street, London (1674-76)
St Bartholomew, Exchange, London (1674-79)
The Royal Observatory, Greenwich (1675-76)
St Peter, Cornhill, London (1675-81)
St Paul's Cathedral (1675-1710)
St Michael, Bassishaw, London (1676-79)
St James, Garlick Hill, London (1676-83)
St James's Church, Piccadilly, Westminster (1676-84)
Trinity College Library, Cambridge (1676-84)
St Michael, Queenhithe, London (1676-87)
St Anne and St Agnes, Gresham Street, London (1677-80)
St Antholin, Watling Street, London (1677-82)
St Benet, Paul's Wharf, London (1677-83)
All Hallows the Great, Lombard Street, London (1677-83)
St Martin, Ludgate, London (1677-84)
All Hallows, Bread Street, London (1677-84)
St Swithin, Cannon Street, London (1677-85)
Christ Church, Newgate Street, London (1677-87)
Tring Manor House, Hertfordshire (c.1680)
The Cloisters, Pump Court, Middle Temple, London (1680-81)
St Clement Danes, Strand, Westminster (1680‹82)
St Augustine, Watling Street, London (1680-83)
Tom Tower, Christ Church, Oxford (1681-82)
St Matthew, Friday Street, London (1681-85)
St Mary Abchurch, London (1681-86)
St Benet, Gracechurch Street, London (1681-86)
St Mildred, Bread Street, London (1681-87)
The Navy Office, Seething Lane, London (1682-83)
St Alban, Wood Street, London (1682-85)
The Royal Hospital, Chelsea (1682-92)
Winchester Palace, Winchester (1683-85)
St Mary Magdalene, Old Fish Street, London (1683-85)
St Clement, Eastcheap, London (1683-87)
St Margaret Pattens, London(1684-87)
St Michael, Crooked Lane, London (1684-88)
St Andrew, Holborn, London (1684-90)
Guard-house, Windsor Castle (1685)
St Anne's Church, Soho (1685)
Catholic Chapel, Council Chamber and Privy Gallery, Whitehall Palace (1685-7)
Thoresby House, Nottinghamshire (1685-87)
St Andrew by the Wardrobe, London (1685-93)
St Margaret, Lothbury, London (1686-90)
St Michael, Paternoster Royal, College Hill, London (1686-94)
All Hallows, Lombard Street, London (1686-94)
St Mary Somerset, Thames Street, london (1686-95)
Court House, Windsor (1688)
Bridgewater Square Development, London (1688)
Queen's Apartment and Terraced Garden, Whitehall Palace (1688-93)
Upper School, Eton College, Buckinghamshire (1689-91)
South and East Ranges, Hampton Court Palace (1689-94)
Reconstruction of Kensington Palace (1689-96)
Writing School, Christ's Hospital, London (1692)
St John Moore's School, Appleby, Leicestershire (1693-97)
College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia, USA (1695-96)
Royal Naval Hospital, Greenwich (1696-1716)
Winslow Hall, Buckinghamshire (1699-1702)
Tower of St Mary Aldermary, Bow Lane, London (1702-4)
State Apartments, St James's Palace (1703)
Marlborough House, St James's, London (1709-11)
Royal Society Respository, Crane Court, Fleet Street, London (1711-12)
St Michael, Cornhill,London, (tower and upper half of church) (1715-17)

his Scientific Work

The main sources for Wren's scientific achievements are the records of the Royal Society, the list recorded in Parentalia and another list in Thomas Sprat's History of the Royal Society. The only overall view of Wren's scientific work is J.A.Bennett The Mathematical science of Christopher Wren

 

Isaac Barrow described Wren when he became Professor of Geometry in 1662 "as one of whom it was doubtful whether he was most to be commended for the divine felicity of his genius or the sweet humanity of his disposition-formerly as a boy a prodigy; now, as a man a miracle, nay, even something superhuman!" From the date we can assume that the justification for this description lay almost entirely on his scientific achievements.

The great variety of Wren's scientific interests makes them difficult to list. By no means all of them are dateable:

Before University

Work on sun-dials

As a Student at Oxford

Panorganum Astronicum: a model showing the earth, sun and moon in their periodic relationships.

Drawings for Thomas Willis's work on the Anatomy of the Brain

Invention for numbering the vibrations of a pendulum

"To measure the straight distance by travelling the winding way"

"To measure the Basis and Height of a mountain, only by journeying over it"

"A perspective box, to survey with it."

"A Scenographical Instrument, to survey at one station"- this perspective machine is illustrated

"strainer of breath, to make the same air serve in respiration"

"Ways of submarine navigation"

"To stay long underwater" These last three probably all related and growing out a chapter in Wilkins's Mathematical magick (1648) which discusses the difficulties of underwater navigation stating that the greatest problem is respiration

Preparation of drawings of microscopical observations (1652) some of which were presented to the King in 1661

As a Fellow of All Souls (1653-7)

Preparation of drawings of microscopical observations (from1652) some of which were presented to the King in 1661

Transparent bee-hives (shown to John Evelyn in 1654)

Start of Wren's lunar observations (1655) subsequent invention of micrometers for telescopes)

Experiments in terrestrial magnetism (1656-7)

Experiments in intravenous injection using dogs (1656)

Anatomical dissections of animals looking for veins and arteries (1656)

Experiments for removal of dog's spleens (n.d.)

Experiments in improving lenses (n.d.)

As Professor of Astronomy at Gresham College (1657-61)

Experiments into magnetic variations for determining longitude (1656)

Erection of a 35ft telescope with Sir Paul Neile.

Rectification of the cycloid (1658)

Observations of Saturn and theory of rings 1654-9

Model of Saturn's rings and lectures by 1659

First recorded consideration of problem of longitude

Graphical method for predicting time and extent of solar eclipses

Construction of lunar globe 10" in diameter presented to the King in 1661

As Savilian Professor (1661-73)

1661 experiments on elastic impact

1662 experiments with weather glasses (open thermometers)

1663 Weather-clock

1663 circular thermometer

1663 study on the hatching of eggs

1663 Wren working on lunar method of longitude finding-devises an astronomical sector for measurement

1665 double telescope (smaller one to use as sights)

1665 makes exceptionally accurate balances

1665 improvements in microscopes

1665 instrument for measuring humidity

1666 surveying instrument for finding levels

1667 instrument for recording rainfall

1669 invention for grinding hyperbolic lenses

1672 member of committee for finding a lunar method to longitude problem

Experiments on muscles in collaboration with Boyle, Willis and Lower

Contemplates but probably never builds "Instruments of Respiration, and for straining the breath from fuliginous vapours, to try whether the breath so purif'd will serve again"

"New ways of Sailing"

"Fabrick for a vessel of war"

"the geometry of sailing, swimming, rowing, flying and the frabrick of ships"

As Fellow of Royal Society (1673-1723)

1673 discussion with Hooke over the strength of centrifugal forces

1677 Paper delivered to Boyle on the "fabruic of the muscles"

1677 Wren studying the rectilinear motion of comets

1677 Halley visits Wren about inverse-square-law problem

1678 paper on "Theory of Respiration, muscular motion, &c., delivered to Mr Boyle"

1679 Wren demonstrates the use of barometer for weather prediction

1679 attempts to use the Monument as a telescope

instruments for finding the way (speed) of a vessel

1703/4 suggestions of using the Bishop's stair in St Paul's as a telescope

1704 experimenting with 5' portable telescopes for finding longitude by measuring Jupiter's satellites at sea

1714 presents ciphers for solution of problems of longitude: one is a screw device for measuring speed mounted in the bow of a ship, the other a clock mounted in a vacuum

source: http://www.arct.cam.ac.uk/personal-page/james/phd/wren/biography.html