Christopher Wren

While well known for his work as a Royal Architect during the rebuilding of London in the late 1660's and his influence over the design of our own Wren Hall here at William and Mary, Christopher Wren is also known for his work in science. After completing his studies in Astronomy at Gresham College in 1657, Wren became a student of medical science at Oxford , under the mentorship of Sir Thomas Willis. Wren quickly earned respect for his keen eye and detailed drawings of the nervous system. Many of these drawings, including this one of the neurovascular structure called the Circle of Willis, were first published by Willis (1664) in what is considered one of the first detailed studies of the nervous system, The Anatomy of the Brain and Nerves.