Art, architecture and history lovers have plenty to look forward to this summer at the Old Royal Naval College, with more events and activities announced celebrating Wren 300. Marking the tercentenary of Sir Christopher Wren, Britain’s most famous architect, there are events throughout the year at this historic Wren-designed site in Greenwich, and other major Wren sites across the UK. The summer will see a fascinating photography exhibition, a family trail and much more for all visitors to enjoy at the Old Royal Naval College as part of Wren 300.
Sir Christopher Wren didn’t set out simply to create monuments for the ages – he was a polymath, an accomplished architect, mathematician, astronomer, anatomist and courtier. He was a great thinker of his time, contributing in invaluable ways to the Enlightenment in Britain, responding to urgent social questions of his time. A contemporary photography exhibition by Hamish MacPherson, Wren: What Legacy Now?, draws attention to eight remarkable people continuing Wren’s different legacies today. Their large-scale, ethereal portraits will be on free display at the Old Royal Naval College, capturing the diverse range of interest Wren had through a modern-day lens. The photographs were created using a flatbed scanner, which creates a mysterious visual
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quality, highlighting these contemporary figures who have their own shifting legacies across the subjects and fields that Wren himself was interested in and worked in.
MacPherson’s portrait subjects comprise Fahima Hussain, a BSL teacher at Remark!, a Deaf-led organisation; Rob Gow, a beehive designer; Professor Jaideep Pandit, Professor of Anaesthesia at the University of Oxford who works at the forefront of anaesthesia research; Professor Katherine Blundell OBE, the 38th Gresham Professor of Astronomy and Professor of Astrophysics at the University of Oxford, whose work aims to better understand how matter behaves in the vicinity of black holes and supernovae; Dr Lucy Collinson, Head of Electron Microscopy at The Francis Crick Institute; Professor Giles Harrison from the University of Reading, who has pioneered new instruments and methods to measure the electrical charging of atmospheric particles and investigates solar changes in atmospheres; Sarah Coutts, the Head of Design and Planning at Barking Riverside Ltd, delivering more than 10,000 new homes in East London; and Lyndsey-Jane Lupton, the designer of Admiral Jellicoe House, a care home in Portsmouth for 66 veterans and their dependents.
MacPherson is an artist and researcher interested in the crossovers between movement and philosophy, whose work is multifaceted, taking the form of performance art, photography and film, audio pieces and others. Since 2019, he has worked as a Visitor Experience Assistant at the Old Royal Naval College, digging deeper into the history and culture of this London landmark.
MacPherson was inspired to create Wren: What Legacy Now? after learning of Sir Christopher
Wren’s incredible interests and body of work, which went far beyond architecture.
Wren’s Studio, a free installation in the Visitor Centre, allows people the chance to explore Wren’s designs. Artworks will include a 3D architectural fly-through animation of the Old Royal Naval College, as well as models and technical drawings by University of Greenwich Architecture students of Wren-designed churches and other buildings. Visitors of all ages can discover new things about Wren and classical architecture, with activities for adults, families and children in this studio-like space.
Budding history and architect buffs will enjoy the Fun in gWRENwich programme over the summer holiday. Build With Wren is an outdoor building session with large building blocks for all ages, running throughout the summer holidays, supervised by Sir Christopher Wren himself. A new, interactive Family Trail booklet will be available for purchase, including educational activities about Christopher Wren, an Architecture Scavenger Hunt, and QR codes revealing exciting hidden spaces around the site. Use the QR code to discover rarely- and never-before-seen places all around the Old Royal Naval College including the Chaplain’s quarters overlooking the river, a secret winding
staircase behind the Painted Hall, and into the rarely-seen Chapel Dome. This is a fun and exclusive part of the Family Trail for children and adults alike to enjoy.
In the Painted Hall, a special display will show a letter written by Sir Christopher Wren himself on 11th October, 1700. The letter, on display until January 2024, is from the architect to Thomas
Gilbert, the Overseer of the King’s Quarries of the Isle of Portland, requesting 2,000 tonnes of Portland Stone for the building of the site. This remarkable insight into the origins of the Old Royal Naval College will be exhibited from Wren’s tercentenary on 25th February 2023 alongside information about Portland Stone and its significance, and a description of how the stone was brought from Dorset to London.
The Old Royal Naval College has a rich 600-year history, of which Sir Christopher Wren is an integral part. Visitors to the site can discover more about the architect throughout the year through the fascinating events and activities on, as well as discover more about the site’s origins as a Tudor Palace, its time as a naval training college, and its remarkable association with Admiral Lord Nelson.
The Old Royal Naval College is also famed for its Painted Hall, a magnificent Baroque room masterminded by 18th century artist Sir James Thornhill. This incredible room is a painted monument to King William and Queen Mary, depicting not only British monarchs but a nod to Christopher Wren (in the form of St Paul’s Cathedral), astronomers, politicians, gods and goddesses on its vast walls and ceilings. One of the finest (and largest) Baroque artworks in Britain, the Painted Hall is not one to miss. For visitors already planning their return visit, tickets can be converted to an annual pass – meaning you only have to purchase entry tickets once for the whole year!
