Wren’s Burford Masons

Download or read book Wren’s Burford Masons written by Melody Mobus and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2023-06-23 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book shows, for the first time, the indispensable role of the Burford Masons, a group of master masons from the historic quarries around Burford, Oxfordshire, in creating some of the foremost buildings of the 17th and early 18th centuries. The Burford Masons were involved in the construction of such outstanding buildings as St Paul's Cathedral, City churches, and Blenheim Palace, among many others. Whilst credit for many of these buildings generally rests with named architects, Sir Christopher Wren in particular, this book shows how reliant these designers were on their master craftsmen, sometimes involving them in the design process as their ideas evolved. The book further shows how the Burford Masons responded to the challenge of late payments, often of many years, becoming financiers in the process. It reveals how, as risk-taking businessmen, they effectively underpinned both public and private development financially, and how extraordinary success transformed their lives. The reader will learn about the vital part played in the early modern period by master craftsmen of the calibre of the Burford Masons, despite the emergence of the architect as lead designer, whose fame has hitherto overshadowed them. As a result, this book will be a compelling read for anyone interested in architectural, construction or social history.