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How did William Holder influence Christopher Wren’s early scientific studies?

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Christopher Wren Sir Christopher Wren, detail of an oil painting by Sir Godfrey Kneller, 1711; in the National Portrait Gallery, London.

William Holder, who was Christopher Wren’s brother-in-law, played a significant role in fostering Wren’s early scientific development during the English Civil Wars.1

When Wren’s father was forced to leave his deanery, the family sought refuge at Holder’s home in Oxfordshire. Under Holder’s tuition, the young Wren engaged in several formative scientific activities:

Astronomy: Holder mentored Wren in astronomical experimentation.1
Mathematical Translation: Wren translated the work of William Oughtred regarding sundials into Latin.1
Instrument Construction: Wren developed various meteorological and astronomical devices during this period.1

This period of study under Holder helped establish Wren’s lifelong disposition toward approaching scientific problems through visual means, such as detailed diagrams and elegant physical models.1