Matthew Wren

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Matthew Wren

Matthew Wren (December 3, 1585–April 24, 1667) was an influential English clergyman and scholar.

He attended Pembroke College, Cambridge, where he was a protegé of Lancelot Andrewes. He became a Fellow in 1605 and later President. He was Master of Peterhouse from 1625 to 1634. From this point, his rise was rapid. He accompanied Charles I to Holyrood Palace for his coronation in 1633, and was appointed chaplain. He became Bishop of Hereford in 1634, Norwich in 1635, and Ely in 1638.

However, his strong support of Archbishop Laud, and his toughness on Puritans, led to his being imprisoned in the Tower of London by Cromwell from 1641 to 1659. Unlike Laud, he survived, and was allowed the freedom to write notes on improvements to the Book of Common Prayer, on which he later had some influence.

While in the Tower, he vowed to devote a sum of money to "some holy and pious employment" should he be released. To fulfil this vow, he chose to pay for a new Chapel for Pembroke College, and had it built by his nephew Christopher Wren — one of his first buildings, consecrated in 1665. Matthew Wren also led the movement to rebuild St Paul's Cathedral after it had been damaged by the Puritans, and again his nephew accomplished the task.