The Monument, designed by Sir Christopher Wren built by Joshua Marshall

Joshua Marshall (16281678) was a 17th century English mason and sculptor. As the King's Master Mason at the time of the Great Fire of London he was responsible for many of the rebuilding projects and worked closely with Christopher Wren and was the builder of several "Wren churches".[1]

Life

North front of Greenwich Palace

He was born in a house on Fetter Lane in London on 24 June 1628[2] the eldest son of Edward Marshall and became the Warden of the Worshipful Company of Masons in 1666 and became Master of the Company in 1670. He was further appointed Master Mason to the Crown in place of his father and as such worked on several Royal palaces.[3]

Marshall lived in the parish of St Bride's Church and attended church there. He had premises on Shoe Lane just off Fleet Street. As Master Mason to the King and as a regular contractor for the works of Wren he was one of the many masons who worked on St Paul's Cathedral but his specific work on the cathedral is not clear.[4]

He was the principal builder of The Monument to the Great Fire of London and was paid the huge sum of £11,300 for this task out of the total cost of £13,450. (around £1.9 million in 2021)[5]

He died in London on 6 April 1678. He was buried at St Dunstan-in-the-West. In his will he left £200 to be given to the widows of masons in London.[6]

Works

St Mary Aldermanbury

Family

He was married to Catherine George daughter of John George. They had five children but only one daughter and two sons survived to adulthood: Anne, John and Edward. Anne married Richard Somers of the Inner Temple.[8]

References

  1. "Joshua Marshall".
  2. https://cathmarshall.com/biographies/1628-joshua-marshall
  3. Dictionary of British Sculptors 1660-1851 by Rupert Gunnis p. 255
  4. https://cathmarshall.com/biographies/1628-joshua-marshall
  5. https://cathmarshall.com/biographies/1628-joshua-marshall
  6. Dictionary of British Sculptors 1660-1851 by Rupert Gunnis p. 255
  7. "Wren's masons".
  8. ODNB 1900: Edward Marshall
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