Comparative plans of the north and south halves of the western body and portico steps

WRE/3/4/3

c.1686

Sir Christopher (1632–1723) Wren, Simon (1661–1733) Gribelin

Pen and brown ink with ruled pen shading, over pencil under-drawing, with some additions in pencil. Thick laid paper, trimmed around plan on left; central vertical fold. 51.5 x 58.5 cm. Watermark: double-headed eagle.

{\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 pair of half-plans for the west end, drawn in reverse for engraving, recording two alternative early schemes for the western body. Drawn by Simon Gribelin. Datable c.1686. Implied scale, just under 10 ft to 1 inch (39 ft = 100 mm).\par \par The two halves of the plan have been drawn separately for comparative purposes. The technique of ruled and dotted ink outlines over fine pencil under-drawing, with closely ruled parallel shading lines, links this drawing to other plans by Gribelin at the same scale, notably WRE/3/2/11, which is also in reverse. The right half-plan (representing the north side) bears a pencilled inscription, \lquote 39f- 0\rquote , between the centre lines of the nave and aisle. The superscript 'f' is written high above the '9', and this convention found in the numbering on Gribelin's west elevation for engraving, WRE/6/2/7. \par \par The left half-plan (representing the south side, in reverse) corresponds in its dimensions and details to a north half-elevation, drawn in pencil by the same draughtsman, WRE/3/3/15. In both drawings the centre-nave to centre-aisle dimension is 38 ft (1 ft too short), and the pairs of columns in the portico are equally spaced apart. However, both represent an advance on the early north-west quarter-plan, WRE/3/4/1, as they show the aisle door framed by columns, as in the building. This revision first appears in a design for the west front with a giant Corinthian portico, WRE/3/3/4. It involved setting back the wall surface of the bays of the aisles and narthex between square angle columns, as shown here (see also WRE/3/3/10 and 11).\par \par The \lquote 39f- 0\rquote inscription corrects the error in the left half-plan. Nevertheless, the spaces between the pairs of columns are not as finally built. They widen towards the centre, from 8 ft to 9 ft to 12 ft, whereas in the completed portico the outer spaces are 9ft and the central one is 11 ft. In other respects the half-plan predates the scheme on the left. The aisle door lacks a columnar frame, the narthex walls do not have recessed panels, and the internal staircase is rectangular rather than square. These alternatives are found in the \lquote Revised design at All Souls College (Geraghty 2007, nos. 80, 82), a set of drawings which records a scheme midway through the revision process in 1685-86 (see WRE/3/2/5).\par \par Other alternatives between the two half-plans include differing numbers of steps in the two front flights and differing widths for the side walls of the narthex.\par \par Errors in the overall setting out of the two half-plans are characteristic of this draughtsman\rquote s work. They include an overall half-width to the external wall of the nave which falls short of the built dimension (60 ft 6 inches) on both sides (58 ft 6 inches on the left and 60 ft on the right) and misalignment of the walls of the chapels in relation to those of the towers: they should be set back by only half as much from the paired pilasters between the chapels and the towers (compare WRE/3/4/1). On an elevation of the north side of the western body in the same hand, WRE/3/3/16, breaks in the entablatures of the chapel bays were erased to indicate that the wall plane was not to be set back as far as that on the tower. \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/3/2/11, WRE/3/3/15, WRE/3/3/10, WRE/3/3/11, WRE/3/2/5, WRE/3/3/16, WRE/3/1/12, WRE/6/2/5, WRE/3/3/7, WRE/6/2/7