Half-plan of the transept end, nearly as executed, including a faint plan in pencil of the foundations of the south portico steps

WRE/2/4/12

1678–79

Sir Christopher (1632–1723) Wren, Edward (1652–1724) Strong

Dark and light brown inks (for church floor and crypt respectively) over pencil under-drawing, with shading in pencil (church floor) and red chalk (crypt), and additions in pencil. Repaired tear, centre right. 48.3 x 35.0 cm. Countermark: IHS surmounted by a cross, over AI.

{\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 Half-plan at church-floor level drawn by Edward Strong, datable 1678-79, over a half-plan at crypt level in a lighter ink with red-chalk shading, in the same hand but datable 1676, just before construction. Drawn scale at base of sheet, fractionally over 5 ft to 1 inch (10 ft = 50 mm), with inch divisions at the left end. At top left, a separate, slightly inaccurate scale, just over 5 ft to 1 inch (10 ft = 48.5 mm). \par \par The walling in the crypt is not quite as executed, for the recess at the end of the aisle was built straight-sided rather than splayed from early 1677 and the long window recess in the portico wall was made narrower on its inner side (6.5 ft rather than 9 ft; the recess was narrowed and repositioned on the drawing in pencil but not as finally built). The plan at this level probably dates shortly before the Building Committee ordered a start on the foundations of the \lquote North & South Porticoes & Cross Isles\rquote [transepts] in November 1676 (GL MS, 25622/1). The plan at church-floor level is, by contrast, very nearly as built from 1678-84 and is drawn and annotated in a darker ink than the crypt-level plan. \par \par The handwriting and annotations compare closely with those on Edward Strong\rquote s construction drawing for the upper apse of 1685-86, WRE/3/1/6, especially in the writing of the \lquote 8\rquote s and \lquote 4\rquote s and the use of chevrons, dashes and fractions. In 1681 Strong took over his elder brother Thomas\rquote s areas of construction on the latter\rquote s death. These areas included the west half of the north transept where the team had worked from late 1676. \par \par The half-plan at church-floor level embodies refinements to the part-plan of the central portion of the transept wall in WRE/2/4/8: the architrave of the 10-ft door opening is further out in relation to the engaged column and the framing pilaster strip is wider. The door surround was built in 1683-84 to the dimensions marked on the plan but the frame was set back by about 3 inches in relation to the column (Wren Society 13, p.189). This change could have been made shortly before construction of the surround. The built design is first recorded in a quarter-plan of the crossing and transept of c.1685: WRE/3/2/1. \par \par A wall passage sketched in broken pencil outlines near the opening has the word \lquote\i pasage\i0\rquote in handwriting similar to Strong\rquote s. The passage is incomplete but is shown widening above the end walls. It was redesigned in 1685-86 when screen walls were added above the end walls; see WRE/3/2/2. \par \par Square holes near the south-east angle and the inner angle of the window splay mark the drainage holes (\lquote water holes\rquote in the accounts) that were built close to these positions. \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/3/1/6, WRE/3/2/1, WRE/3/2/2, WRE/2/2/7, WRE/2/3/6, WRE/7/2/1, WRE/7/3/4