What happened to Wrens family during the Civil War?
As staunch Royalists, Wren’s family suffered during the Civil War, which began when Wren himself was only ten. His uncle Matthew, the Bishop of Ely, was imprisoned in the Tower of London for eighteen years. The Restoration of the monarchy in 1660 brought new opportunities to those families loyal to the crown, and Wren was in a good position to benefit from this.
