Outline plan of the Dean’s Vestry, nearly as executed

WRE/2/3/10

1675–76

Sir Christopher (1632–1723) Wren, Unidentified draughtsman (fl.1675–c.1687)

Pen and brown ink over pencil under-drawing. Laid paper, torn obliquely across upper left and repaired with modern laid paper, 11.0 cm deep on left. 34.5 x 33.3 cm. Countermark. IHS surmounted by a cross.

{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang2057{\fonttbl{\f0\fswiss\fprq2\fcharset0 Microsoft Sans Serif;}{\f1\fswiss\fprq2\fcharset0 System;}} {\colortbl ;\red0\green0\blue128;} \viewkind4\uc1\pard\cf1\f0\fs20 A finished plan of the Dean\rquote s Vestry, nearly as built. Drawn by the unidentified draughtsman (fl. 1675-c.1687). Datable 1675-76. Implied scale, 2 ft to 1 inch.\par \par The staircase to the vestry is shown with eight rather than seven steps, leaving the lower threshold too narrow for the swing of the aisle door; compare WRE/2/3/11 and 12, which are closer to the fabric. Before work reached this level in 1677, Wren omitted the lowest step to deepen the threshold and added one to the external threshold. No steps to this threshold are shown in three studies for the south-east quarter, WRE/2/2/8, 9 and 10, datable before the start of construction in 1675, so this drawing is probably a revision of 1675-76.\par \par The outline technique is very similar to that on WRE/2/3/11, where the hand is identifiable from the scale-bar and numbering.\cf0\b\f1\par }

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.

WRE/2/2/8, WRE/2/2/9, WRE/2/2/10