The great tire of 1666 gave an opportunity to the newly adopted style of architecture, which in all probability it would not otherwise have obtained; nor was it a light advantage in its favour, that it secured the services of Sir Christopher Wren; who, however we may find fault with of his works, was undoubtedly a man of unusual attainments in his profession, and of unwonted energy and perseverance. As a proof of this assertion, we need do no more than point to the multitude of buildings erected under his superintend ence. Of his twenty-five London churches, his palaces, and other public and private buildings, we can here say but little ; but will endeavour to give a full account of his chef-d'oeuvre, the Cathedral of St. Paul. forastnuch as it furnishes us at once with a specimen of Wren's skill, and with our most magnificent example of Italian architecture, as applied to sacred purposes. We shall commence by giving a cursory glance at the history of the structures which anciently occupied the same site.
It has been thought that, during the residence of the Romans in 11ritain, it temple, dedicated to Diana, had occupied the situation on which the present edifice is erected ; and this opinion is said to have been confirmed by the digging up, at diffm-ent times, horns and skulls of animals supposed to have been sacrificed;1 t Christopher Wren, who found no such indieations in all his researches, in the extensive exca vations which lie made for the foundations, gives very little credit to the common tradition. How ever this may be, it appears that one of the earliest Christian churches in Eng land was erected upon this site, about the veal- 610, by king Ethelbert, who had been converted to Christianity by St. Augustine.
Erkenwald, the fourth bishop ref London, who died in 685, large swims upon this church ; but fi,r additions, or to complete Ethelbert's plan, is not ascertained: The church was accidentally consumed by time in the year 961, but was rebuilt immediately. In 10S7, it was agaig destroyed by a conflagration, which also laid -waste the greater part of the metropolis. At this time Maurice, or Mauritius, bishop of London, conceived the vast design of erecting the magnificent edifice which preceded the present cathedral; but the undertaking was so extensive, that neither Maurice nor his successor, 1)e Belmeis, lived to complete it. The succeeding bishops, Gilbertus Univers:Ills, and Robertus de Sign), are not known to have done anything towards the finishing of the building till the second De Belmeis, who, following his uncle's example, contributed largely towards the work. In 1135, the edifice was again exposed to the injuries of fire, which consumed all that was combustible.
The enterprise of that age, however, was not to be repressed even by such repeated disasters; for, in 1221, the central tower was finished ; and, in 1229. bishop Niger undertook to rebuild the choir in a new style of architecture, and enlarged dimensions: this was completed in 1240.
The cathedral was farther enlarged by the addition of the Lady Chapel, eastward of the choir : these new works, as they are called in the records of the ehurch. were begun in 1256, and finished about 1312; in which year we find a contract for paving this additional building with marble, at fivepence per foot.
In 1315, a great part of the timber spire being decayed, it was rebuilt. and a new cross erected at the top. In the same year, an exact measurement of the building was taken, by which the length was fund to be 690 feet, the breadth 130 feet ; the height of the nave, from the flour to the top of the vaulting7102 feet, and the height of the choir SS feet. The altitude of the tower, from the level of the ground, was 260 feet, and of the spire 27-1 feet ; and yet, according to Dug dale, who gives these dimensions, the total height did not exceed 520 feet ; this difference may be accounted for, by supposing the height of the tower to have been taken to the top of the battlements, or pinnacles, and that of the spire, to have been reckoned from its base.
This lofty spire was fired by lightning in 14.11 ; and in 1561 the steeple suffered by a similar catastrophe; but a subscription was set on lbot by Queen Elizabeth, and the damages were repaired. In the reign of James I. the church had become very ruinous throughout, owing, perhaps, to some defect in the original construction ; and though large sums of money were collected, and materials provided for the reparation. it remained in the same state till the preferment of the celebrated Laud to the see of London. This prelate exerted himself zealously and suceessffilly in favour of the neglected building, and a general subscription, supported in a munificent manner by king Charles 1. was soon collected. to the amount of £101,330 4s. Sd. I laving thus provided the necessary means for an entire restoration of the church, Inigo Jones was appointed to superintend the undertaking. The repairs were begun in 1633, and, in the course of nine years, a magnificent portico was erected at the west end ; the whole exterior of the body of the church was new cased with stone, roof and leaden covering were completed, and the vaulting, which was much dilapidated, and stood in need of repair, was well centred, and supported with some hundreds of tall masts.