Upper elevation of the west front, south half

WRE/3/3/13

1685–86

Sir Christopher (1632–1723) Wren, Unidentified draughtsman associated with west end and dome (fl. c.1685–91)

Pen and brown ink over pencil under-drawing, with pencilled additions. Laid paper; repaired diagonal tear across lower right-hand side. 33.5 x 41.8 cm. Watermark: Strasbourg lily WR; Countermark: IHS surmounted by a cross, over PB.

A variant scheme for the upper storey of the west end, south half, in which the upper entablature is revised but the order remains Corinthian. Drawn by the unidentified draughtsman associate with the west end and dome (fl. c.1685-91). Datable 1685-86. Implied scale, about 6 ft to 1 inch. The design is for an elevation with regularly spaced upper portico columns and thus 175 ft wide overall instead of 177 ft as built. It relates most nearly to the plan of the south half of the western body, WRE/3/4/2, except that no door is shown below the outer window of the upper portico. The same draughtsman was responsible for seven other drawings for the west end: WRE/3/3/9 and WRE/3/4/4-7, 12 and 14 and five for the dome (see especially WRE/5/1/5).

Access to the Wren office drawings held at London Metropolitan Archives is available only with advance notice and at the discretion of the Heritage Services Director, London Metropolitan Archives, 40 Northampton Road, London, EC1R 0HB.

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WRE/3/4/4, WRE/3/4/5, WRE/3/4/6, WRE/3/4/7, WRE/3/4/12, WRE/3/4/14, WRE/3/4/2, WRE/3/4/1, WRE/3/4/11, WRE/3/4/15, WRE/5/1/5, WRE/6/1/3