'A PLEASING EXAMPLE OF SKILL IN

OLD AGE': SIR CHRISTOPHER WREN

AND MARLBOROUGH HOUSE^

ARTHUR SEARLE

T H E lease of the site of what was to become Marlborough House (fig. i) was firstgranted to the Duke of Marlborough by the Crown in 1708.- The Duke left the wholematter of the projected town house to his Duchess, so the choice of architect was hers.In her own words: 'I sent for Sir C. Wren and told him I hoped it would be no troubleto him to look after the building I was going to begin. . .'^ By this time Wren wasin his late seventies and anyway much occupied with the control of royal buildingworks in his role as Surveyor-General. He was assisted in many projects, whether forthe Crown or others, by his son Christopher, who had entered the Office of Works asChief Clerk and Clerk Ingrosser in 1702.''• The younger Christopher was particularlyinvolved with the work at Marlborough House, to the extent that it has been suggestedthat this was a deliberate attempt on the part of the ageing architect to gain his soncredit for the design of a major building, and with it an increased chance of higheroffice.

The Blenheim Papers give little information about the commissioning or design ofMarlborough House. But in the arrangement of the collection all the papers relatingdirectly to the house have been brought together;"^ they include a number of letters tothe Duchess from both Wren and his son, which throw light on the collaborationbetween the two men in supervising the later stages of the building work, from September1710. Since Wren could not give constant attention to the project, much of the day-to-daydetail did indeed fall to his son. But in the arguments, which with Sarah Churchillwere perhaps inevitable, the younger Christopher could and did refer the most trivialmatters to his father's experienced opinion. At times this process of referral from oneto the other takes on the appearance of a calculated technique for keeping their formidableclient at bay. The technique may perhaps have played a part, along with the relativesimplicity of Wren's design (fig. 2), in ensuring that the building went ahead at a goodpace. The Duchess laid the foundation stone in May 1709;" the house was roofed andwork on the interior well advanced before serious differences set in.

Most of the letters were written by the younger Wren, but there are seven from SirChristopher, all of them apparently unpublished. Some are holograph, others written

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&

1

Zhr::,.^^y ,

.,. J. ll.ul.l ./, !}i.,

Fig. 2. Marlborough House, ground plan (from Colin Campbell, Vitruvius Britannicus, London,1725, vol. i, pi. 39)

out in another hand and only signed by Wren; they are here printed in full. The firstof his letters in the group is dated from Whitehall, 23 September 1710:^

MadamI had the honour of Your Grace's Leter by Mr. Tilson the 20th instant, vi hich I perused

with diligence, and I hope every thing will be carryed on to Your Grace's satisfaction and withall the frugality soe large a Fabric will admit of according to the directions your Grace hathallready given, and which was in hand before your Grace left us. I crave leave to acquaint YourGrace what wee are at present in hand with. The Joyner is setting up the framing only in allthe Roomes without the pannells, the framing is first to be don which was all cut out before;the pannells may be put on at any time when your Grace will please to give direction, and tillthen I shall omit what can be spared. The boarding of the ordinary roomes of the Wings maybe don at present with ordinary but drie boardes, but the best roomes must be floored heerafterwhen the Joyner and Painter have both finished their worke. I hasten to finish all durty workeout of the way. The descent of black steps into the Garden is finished and is very noble, theother in the Front is in hand, and I hast before Frosty weather to finish all pavings and workewithout dores, you may finish the inside at your leasure. Both pair of Staires are don exceptthe Iron worke. Wee are finishing the porter's Lodge and place for the Cisterne, which mustbe don before the Courtes can be levelled and paved. I thinke the outside Shutters and doresmust be don out of hand for security of the House in winter, that a porter and his Dog maypreserve it. Mr. Wise beeing about to plant his Trees will drive us out of the Garden, andtherfore I crave leave to use the confectionary roomes at present in the west wing for the storeswhile there is worke in the house, and old things left that may be usefull. Madam, I shall takethe best care I can of your Expence, and I dare beleive Your Artizans are all well satisfied inyour Grace's assurance of good payment with your convenience. What Your Grace hath fartherto thinke off let me have the honour to receive Your Commandes, and I or my Son in myabsence will carefully observe them, and I beseech you to accept of my thakes for favours, andthe sincere profession of my humble duty as

Madam your Grace's most obedient humble servantChr. Wren

Henry Wise's detailed bill for work laying out and planting the gardens from 29 May1710 to 31 March 1711 is preserved with the papers.^

On 31 October 1710 the younger Wren wrote about the arrangements he had madefor a water-supply for the house and included an estimate of the number and type oftiles that would be needed for floors and fireplaces. ° This letter the Duchess, withevident approval, sent off to Marlborough so that he could arrange for the tiles to beimported from Holland. In her covering letter Sarah incidentally expressed her dislikeof excessive ornament, finding plain white tiles for a fireplace 'mighty hansome'.However, the disputes about materials and tradesmen's costs foreshadowed in Wren'sfirst letter were to become a feature of the early months of the 1711 building season.On 8 March 1711 the younger Wren wrote, 'Madam, my father's resolutions are toprevent as far as possible all disputes that may any ways disturb your peace and toact for your Grace as for himself. ^ At the end of March a letter signed by both fatherand son, though with the text wholly in Sir Christopher's hand, was

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Marlebrough House, March 29th.Madam

I have your Grace's commands allweis in my thoughtes and pursue them with all the careI can to a conclusion, and I hope such as your Grace will approve off, and the whole wouldby this time have been concluded, but I beg your Grace to remember you commanded a Stopto be put to all the workemen in Generall. Afterward by an other Leter you allowed the Joynerto proceed to set up what he had cut out, which he is doing, and the Clerke is measuring all theworke as if don, for some roomes are finished, soe as to give us full Light into the remainderunder hand; as soon as I have this measurement you shall have the Bill with Blankes for theprices, which I will presume to put in Black Lead according as I thinke in my conscience itwill deserve without losse to the Artist, leaving it to your Grace's own opinion; and I pray yourGrace to remember the worke was performed according to a patterne of your own chusingmuch out of the way of the usuall work of the best maner, which will make it more difficultto conclude. I will doe what I can to bringe him to reason, and you have the mony in yourhand, and all you have directed (which I know of) is near finished. All the carpenter hath donis measuring and you shall have that alsoe very speedily; but the HoUidayes give us somedisturbance. The paviour looses time: you need not feare he will bring any account for Gravell.'^Wee should thinke our selfes happy if you would commande us to attend upon the place andreceive your owne thoughtes, for Letters occasion mistakes. But I beseech you be assured thatwee are to the utmost

Your Grace's most obedient faithfull servantsChr. WrenChr. Wren

On 4 April Sir Christopher wrote again about the negotiations over the joiner'scontract. The joiner in question was John Hopson, whose presence was indicative ofthe high level of workmanship Wren sought for Marlborough House. He had workedon St. Paul's Cathedral with his father. Sir Charles Hopson, who died in April 1710,and like others of the artists and craftsmen involved with Marlborough House he hadalso been employed at Blenheim. ''

MadamI sent your Grace Mr. Hobson's bill as I had corrected it, leaving out those particulars which

you excepted as what ought to be included in the measurement. I did not put in the price ofthe worke by the yard for which I wrangled to have brought him to 5sh. and 6d., but uponhis insisting upon 6sh. he was willing to appeal to your Grace, which you have been pleasedto allow him since. And I am of opinion that his Gain is very htle considering the goodnessof the materialls which have been kept many yeares. I have got him at last to Signe to yourGrace's Articles with an exception to some particulars which indeed there is good Colour for.The Shasses for the plate Glasse will have 2 hundred of lead in the 4 weightes, which is allwaisfound by the plumber, the joyner only makes the mould for the Plumber. Wee alwaies use toallow small mouldings into the measurement of Deale worke, but when Corneses exceed 10inches it is just to allow a moderat price by the foot running according to the mould. I knownot yet whither your Grace doth consent to the paviour to proceed in his worke, he havingagreed to your Grace's prices and is afrayd to loose his men. It remaines now that you agreewith the Carpenter; hee is yet at Hamptoncourt, but his worke of the floores is the last after

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the Joyner hath don, and may stay till your Grace's returne, which I wish may be happy. Youmay be confident all care shall be taken in your absence by

Madam, Your Grace's most obedient and most Humble servantChr. Wren

In this letter^^ the cramped handwriting of old age begins to be tremulous; in Wren'sbrief letter of 6 ApriP^ it is, as David Green has observed, 'alarmingly shaky' (fig. 3):

c '

Fig. J. Letter of Sir Christopher Wren to the Duchess of Marlborough, 6 April 1711. Add.MS. 61357, fol- 45

MadamAfter more dispute then ever I had before in any bargain I have induced the timorous young

man to signe the contract your Grace hath sent, and is heerin inclosed. If your Grace alloweshim a summe in hand, your Grace may at the same time oblige him to a performance of theworke by a prefixed time. The Carpenter is not yet returned out of the Country. I am

Your Grace's most obedient and most humble servantChr. Wren

At this point, if at no other, there seems to be justification for Vanbrugh's jibe that atMarlborough House the Duchess had 'the direction in chief to herself, with SirChristopher Wren as her Deputy Surveyor'. " The news of the 'timorous' young

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Hopson's agreement to the Duchess's conditions had also been conveyed by the youngerWren in a separate letter. ^ Sir Christopher wrote again on the same subject on 7 April,though on this occasion he had the text written out for his signature: ^

MadamI receiv'd the Honour of your Grace's letter, but can't communicate your Grace's Com-

mands to Mr. Hopson, or return his answer to the proposal you are pleas'd to make, that heshould enter into an obligation of finishing the work by a certain day, he being at pre-sent at Hampton-Court and will not return 'till munday, but am apt to beleive He will complywith it.

I have sent to the Painter to finish the Shasses, and nothing more; your Grace shall havehis Bill, as soon as I can gett it.

I have directed the smith to do no more, 'till He has brought in his Bill.The Carpenter has given in his Prices to your Grace, and has said. He will sink no lower,

but I will speak with him again the beginning of the week, when, I suppose, he will returnfrom Hampton-Court.

I am. Madam, your Grace's most obedient most Humble ServantChr. Wren

Hopson undertook to finish the work in six weeks on condition that he was given;( i,ooo in advance. " Even then, the final decision on the work he was to carry out onthe hall (now known as the saloon) of the house had not been taken. The youngerWren's letter of 23 April was concerned with that room, in particular with the dispositionof the Gentileschi ceiling paintings, formerly at the Queen's House, Greenwich:

The Pictures design'd for the Hall are so large that they fill the whole Ceiling, and hardlyallow room for the frameing which is but small in proportion to the pictures; the Hall theycame from at Greenwich was larger then yours, so that Mr. Walton was oblig'd to cutt themin such a manner as to fitt the Ceiling exactly, and the spaces between will appear small at thatdistance from the eye . . . I showM the design for placeing the pictures to the Duke ofMarlborough at Somersett House when they were first brought there to be mended. He approvedit, and applying himself to me, desired I would take care to have it perform'd in that manner,and it will be very hansome and proper; tho the room is a first room, it will be a very goodone . . .- ^

The method of fixing the pictures to the ceiling was also in dispute, as was the waythe paving was being laid in the courtyard. But from this same letter it is clear thatmost other work had indeed been stopped and that the Wrens had been instructed toarrange a meeting of the workmen to inspect bills and to consider further action.

The stop seems to have been part of a careful plan on the part of the Duchess, forshe had in the meantime brought in her own workmen. On 25 April the young Wrenwas stung into writing '. . . we find to day a Painter primeing with Size . . . this wayof painting is very ill, will peel off, and spoyl the Wainscot and is never used but inpoor tradesmen's Houses that can afford no better . . .' ^ Undismayed, Sarah continuedto use her own men inside the house, with the exception of Hopson. Sir ChristopherWren's next letter, dated from Whitehall, 14 July 1711, makes this

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MadamI am not a little afflicted that, by the late change of Offices at Court,^ I have had so much

Business upon my hands at St. James's, Hampton Court, and Kensington besides my own littleaffairs that I Confess I must needs appear rude in not complying with your Grace's commandssignified in your Letters, and indeed I was at a loss how to give your Grace Satisfaction, sinceyou have been pleased to change your workemen for those who doe not think themselvesconcerned at all with me; neither have I now any place to sitt downe and examin any Bills ormeasurements. And your Grace Having too soon discharged Sparvill,^^ with whome I leftseverall directions, and who was truely for your Grace's Interest, and I am Confident veryhonest In his trust, it will not be so easy for me to make out the Deductions intended in the lastBills, and to settle all things to your Grace's satisfaction. I am very well pleased that you willContract your self, for what is yett to be done, but I beg of you that it may be as well performed,and that you would think a few pence may sometimes be ill saved. I doubt Your poor Glazierwill not performe as He Should att the price sett, which will prove noe little damage to theHouse, to secure it from Wind and Weather. The stooles will require a man of some sence,otherwise they will be often troublesome to you hereafter. Madam, I begg you to beleive Ishall never decline any Service you will lay upon me that may be consistent with the time Iowe to Her Majesty's Service. And that I am with all Sincerity,

Madam, Your Grace's most Obedient and most Humble ServantChr. Wren

This letter is again written out in an unknown hand and signed by Wren. Despiteits sadly resigned tone, it is not quite the final communication. One last surviving letter,its text written out by the younger Wren, but signed by Sir Christopher alone, is dated9 August, once more from Whitehall.^'^ It shows that the Wrens still felt concern forthe whole project, and equally that the Duchess did not hesitate to use them to sortout final exterior details, even while employing men herself to make the interior readyfor moving in.

MadamHer Majestie's business hath lately multiplied upon me, as the Chapel at Hampton Court,

and other Works there, and at Windsor and at St. James's, with much attendence at theTreasury, and my own Concernes, that I fear I may have incurr'd your Grace's displeasure innot answering your last commandes; I was last week with Mr. Wise at your Grace's House,not to direct any thing, but to satisfie myself what is yet to be done that seem'd to me necessary,and accordingly to advertise your Grace. The Joyner goes on, and I beleive will finish in thetime prescribed, if the Chimny-peices were sett: the Carpenter's work and materials are verygood, and he will have finish'd speedily, but cannot complete his worke till the hearthes arelayed. I have many thinges to say, if I had the honour of seeing your Grace upon the Place,but I give no directions to your Grace's workmen, I beg you to doe that yourself, and allsoto adjust their Bills, for I beleive you have made closer Contracts then I could doe, haveingproceeded upon supposition that both materialls and worke ought not to be of the ordinarysort, where late-built-houses are now dropping, and such as were done within 20 years: butyour Grace's work as far as I have inspected it, is substantial and well perform'd, what is moreto be done is wholy left to your Grace's judgement. The ground of the laundry-yard is cumbredwith materials, most of which will be return'd as soone as the Carpenter has done and the

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deductions made upon his bills. The Necessary-House is not cover'd, though the slats lie ready.The shed for wood and Coals (which I long since directed) stays for your Grace's order, thetime of the year will require it, and it will soon be done, if you think fitting. What to doe withthe old Peeres I cannot determine, if I take them down I must lay open a part of a man'shouse, who tho he hath manifestly incroached upon you, yet is too obstinate to permit it quietlyto be done. I have ordered the Stone Copeing of the outward Court to be taken down as youdesire, and insteed of it there must be a brick coping, and if the iron work must be fixed, asyou seem to allow, for light to the Public-house, some of the stone must be used there to fixthe iron in. ^ The principal thing remaining will be the Water-Stools, for which I wish youwould use your former Plumber, who very well understands my thoughts what should be donethere; the Cisterne for that purpose is not yet set, but the Pipes are fitted to it. There aresome other things which I have suspended till your comeing to town least you should haveother commands which I shall obey, if you give me leave, without reserve, as becomes

Madam, your most faithfull humble servantChr. Wren

The Duchess was able to move in on 24 October 1711, although only the upperfloor was habitable. ^ She continued to harass the workmen appointed by Wren, whoseletters of justification are included in the collection.^^ They in turn were driven towrite a public defence which appeared in the Post Boy of 27 December 1712.^^ Bythat time the Marlboroughs' fall from favour had led Sarah to leave the country, thougheven from abroad she kept a wary eye on Laguerre's progress on the cycle of wallpaintings celebrating the Duke's victories. ^ Once returned she continued to justify herpart in this architectural quarrel,^^ just as she set out on a far more elaborate justificationof her part in the larger disagreements over Blenheim Palace.

1 The phrase 'a pleasing example of skill in oldage' comes from Robert Kerr's description ofMarlborough House in The Gentleman's House(London, 1871), p. 44. Some documentation onthe house is given in A. T. Bolton, H. D.Hendry (eds.). The Royal Palaces of Winchester,Whitehall, Kensington, and St. Jameses . . . 1660-n^5-< Wren Society, vol. vii (Oxford, 1930),pp. 225-9, 247> 248 (cited as Wren Soe); theprincipal account of the building of the house isthat given by David Green in Blenheim Palace(London, 1951), pp. 105-9, where full use ismade of material in the Blenheim Papers. Adescription of the house is given in RoyalCommission on Historical Monuments, London,vol. ii (London, 1925), pp. 132-3 and pi. 209-25;a summary history, with a description andillustrations of the house as it is now, is to befound in John Charlton's guide book, Marl-borough House (London, 1978).

2 Wren Soe, vol. vii, p. 225.3 Quoted by D. Green, op. cit., p. 106.

4 H. M. Colvin, The History of the King's Works,vol. V (London, 1976), p. 471.

5 Ibid., pp. 36-7.6 Add. MS. 61357.7 Wren Soe, vol. vii, p. 226.8 Add. MS. 61357, fol. 3-9 Ibid., fol. 34.

10 Add.MS. 6i43i,fol. 142. The text, together withthat of the Duchess's covering letter, is printedin H. L. Snyder (ed.). The Marlborough-Godolphin Correspondence, vol. iii (Oxford, 1975),pp. 1654-5. Snyder has followed the endorse-ment in assigning the letter to Sir ChristopherWren, but it is in the hand of, and signed by,his son.

11 Add. MS. 61357, fol. 9.12 Ibid., fol. 32.13 Gravel was being dug on the site in the process

of laying out the gardens. Ibid., fol. 31.14 D. Green, op. cit., p. 268.15 Add. MS. 61357, fo*- 41-16 Ibid., fol. 45.

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17 Quoted in D. Green, op. cit., p. io6.18 Add. MS. 61357, fol. 47.19 Ibid., fol. 49.20 Ibid., fol. 54.21 Ibid., fol. 55. The paintings can be identified

among the goods of Charles I reserved for theuse of the state after his execution. O. Millar(ed.). The Inventories and Valuations of the King''sGoods, i64g~i6si, Walpole Society, vol. xliii(Glasgow, 1972), p. 137. For a reproduction ofpart of the paintings see J. Charlton, op. cit.,

P- 15-22 Add. MS. 61357, fol- 59-23 Ibid., fol. 68.24 Extensive work on the chapel at Hampton Court

had begun early in 1711. Wren may also bereferring to the need to carry out alterationsin apartments assigned to new courtiers at St.James's and Kensington, a more obvious conse-quence of the fall of the Whig ministry in 1710.In addition, following the change in government,Harley, as Earl of Oxford, had been appointedTreasurer on 30 May 1711; the Treasury exer-

cised considerable control over the Office ofWorks. H. M. Colvin, op. cit., vol. v, pp. 174-5,239; J. C. Sainty, Treasury Officials, i66o-i8jo(London, 1972), p. 19.

25 Daniel Sparvill, labourer-in-trust on the site.Add. MS. 61357, fol. 65.

26 Ibid., fol. 71.27 The northern boundary of the site, which abutted

the backs of the buildings in Pall Mall, causedthese problems with completing Wren's brickcourtyard screen and with providing a sufficientlywide carriage entrance.

28 Hertfordshire Record Office, Panshanger MSS.F228.1 am indebted to my colleague Dr. FrancesHarris for drawing my attention to this referenceand to Lady Ravensdale for permission to useit.

29 Add. MS. 61357, fols. 78-87.30 Reprinted in Wren Soe, vol. vii, p. 228, and in

D. Green, op. cit., p. 305.31 Wren Soe, vol. vii, pp. 228-9.32 Add. MS. 61357, fols. 93-110; Wren Soe, vol.

vii, p. 227.

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