Sir Christopher Wren, The geomentrical staricase in the South-West tower of St Paul’s Cathedral. Photo Kevin Caldwell.
Janet Gough OBE, former Director of Church Buildings for the Church of England, presents a highly illustrated lecture on how Sir Christopher Wren rebuilt London out of the disasters of the terrible plague of 1665 and the Great Fire of London of 1666, in 50 churches and his masterpiece St Paul’s Cathedral, when – like today - icons of renewal and triumph were desperately needed.
A promising young 17th-century mathematician and inventor, with strong links to the Church and Crown, Sir Christopher Wren grew up in politically challenging as well as scientifically exciting times. He could have turned his hand to a range of endeavours when the Great Fire of London devastated the City, yet over the next 50 years Wren rebuilt St Paul’s Cathedral and 50 of London’s parish churches, with huge variety and ingenuity. In so doing he created the auditory church, setting the standard of the new reformed Church of England for the next 200 years and as it spread across the globe, whilst creating works of architectural genius - such as his domes and the geometrical staircase in St Paul’s Cathedral.
You may also be interested in this event with Katie Wignall: VIRTUAL WALK | Sir Christopher Wren: Secular Masterpieces from the Monument to Royal Palaces.
Proceeds from our ticket sales benefit museums, galleries and other arts-based organisations and projects.
This is an online event hosted on Zoom which can be watched live, or on-demand for three weeks afterwards. You will receive your link to access the event in your email confirmation and the on-demand link after the event ends.