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Who was He? Architect and Scientist.
Date and Place of Birth: 20th October 1632. Village Rectory, East Knoyle, Wiltshire, England.
Family Background: Father was the Reverend Dr Christopher Wren. Mother was Mary Cox daughter of a Wiltshire Squire.
Education: Westminster School, Westminster, London, England. Wadham College, Oxford, England.
Chronology:
1634: Probable death of his mother after the birth of her daughter Elizabeth. His father became Dean of Windsor.
1642: At the outbreak of the English Civil War his Uncle Matthew Wren Bishop of Ely was imprisoned in the Tower and the Deanery at Windsor was attacked. The Wren family were forced to move out and his father went to live in Bletchingham, Oxfordshire with his daughter and son-in-law William Holder the mathematician.
1646: Left Westminster School but did not immediately go to university, but encouraged by Holder began to experiment in astronomy. He became an assistant to Dr Charles Scarburgh to sustain himself and helped him with his anatomical experiments.
1649: Entered Oxford University.
1652: Made observations of the Planet Saturn.
1653: Granted an M. A. by Oxford University.
1653-57: Lived in College as a Fellow of All Soul's College, Oxford.
1657: Professor of Astronomy, Gresham College, London.
1661: Savilian Professor of Astronomy Oxford. Asked to work on the designs for fortifications at Tangiers harbour but turned it down.
1662: Foundation of the Royal Society of London of which Wren was a founder Member.
1663: Visited Rome to study the Theatre of Marcellus amongst other things. Worked on repairs to the old St Paul’s Cathedral.
1664: Sent designs for the Sheldonian Theatre in Oxford to the Royal Society. This was to first of his projects to include a dome.
1665: Visited Paris to study the buildings.
1666: Appointed Commissioner for Rebuilding the City of London after the great fire.
1669: Appointed Surveyor of St. Paul’s Cathedral and Surveyor General of the King’s Works.
1668: Building of his designs for Emmanuel College Chapel in Cambridge.
1669: Working extensively on optics.
1670: Became the Surveyor for the Rebuilding of 51 of the City’s churches.
1672: Birth of his son Gilbert.1674: Second plan and model for St Paul’s Cathedral unveiled as the first designs were not felt grand enough by the City of London Council. This was Greek in inspiration and was rejected by the Clergy for not being Christian enough. He set to work on a third design based on a Latin cross with a dome.
1675: Foundation Stone laid for St. Paul's Cathedral, London. Birth of his son Christopher. Receives commission from King Charles the Second to build a Royal Observatory for the new Astronomer Royal, Flamstead. Charles was keen for his officials to solve the longitude problem for the safe navigation at sea which would make his navy and maritime traders more successful than other world rivals. (September) Death of his Wife Faith.
1675: Birth of his son Christopher.
1676: Designs for Trinity College, Cambridge.
1677: Birth of his daughter Jane.
1679: Birth of his son William.
1680-82: President of the Royal Society.
1682: Designs for the Royal Hospital, Chelsea.
1696: Appointed Surveyor of the Royal Naval Hospital in Greenwich, now the National Maritime Museum.
1699: Appointed Surveyor of Westminster Abbey.
1703: Death of his daughter Jane.
1716: Resigned as Surveyor of the Royal Naval Hospital in Greenwich.
Marriages: 1. 7th December 1669 to Faith Coghill at Temple Church, London. (died 1675).
2. 24th February 1677 to Jane Fitzwilliam at Chapel Royal, Whitehall, (died 1679).Places of Interest:
LONDON:
St. Paul's Cathedral.
National Maritime Museum, Greenwich.
Greenwich Observatory.
Kensington Palace State Apartments.
St. Mary-Le-Bow, Cheapside.
St. Stephen, Walbrook.
St. Anne's and St Agnes, Gresham Street.
St. Mary, Abchurch.
The Monument. (Commemorating the Great Fire of London).
Marlborough House, Pall Mall.
Hampton Court Palace (Part of)OXFORDSHIRE:
Fawley Court, Henley-on-Thames.
Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford.Date and Place of Death: 25th February 1723. St. Jame's Street, London, England.
Age at Death: 91.
Site of Grave: St. Paul's Cathedral, London, England
