Approaching East Knoyle on the A350, the signs announcing the village as the birthplace of Sir Christopher Wren are unmissable. There’s a stone plinth in the village commemorating him, and the village community shop is called Wren’s Shop, where you can also buy Wren’s coffee!
Wren’s father was rector of St Mary’s Church in East Knoyle, but he held several offices simultaneously, and was himself involved in building design. He redesigned the chancel of St Mary’s and had the interior decorated with idiosyncratic touches; he commissioned plaster work showing a self-portrait, designed a depiction of Christ being taking to heaven showing only his dangling legs beneath a cloud, and included quirky riddles in Latin.
Young Christopher was born in the village in 1632, one of 11 children but the only son to survive. He suffered from poor health (although he eventually lived to be 90). He played with the children of Charles I when his father was Dean of Windsor and later he went as a boarder to Westminster School. He became a scientist, a mathematician and an astronomer before concentrating on architecture, and is of course best remembered for rebuilding St Paul’s Cathedral after the Great Fire of London.
His East Knoyle connection ended in 1662 after a Civil War debacle when his father was found guilty of heretical practices (relating to his quirky additions in the village church), was then fired and had to leave the village. Unpredictable times!
East Knoyle remains very proud of its significance as the birthplace of Sir Christopher Wren, and the rectory where he grew up remains. He is buried in St Paul’s, not St Mary’s!
Chris and Bev - Heads in the Clouds 