Wren was the eldest son of Francis Wren, citizen and mercer of London. Matthew Wren's mother was Susan, daughter of John Wiggington. His parents lived in the parish of
St Peter, Westcheap in the
City of London, and had three children: a daughter Anna, and two sons; Matthew, born 1585, and Christopher, born 1589. Wren was the brother of
Christopher Wren, who also took holy orders, and the uncle of the architect
Christopher Wren. He accompanied
Charles I to
Holyrood Palace for his Scottish coronation in 1633, and was appointed chaplain and
Clerk of the Closet. He became
Bishop of Hereford in 1634,
Norwich in 1635, and
Ely in 1638. Upon the Restoration, he was released on 15 March 1660. While in the Tower, Wren vowed to devote a sum of money to "some holy and pious employment" should he be released. To fulfill this vow, he chose to pay for a new Chapel for Pembroke College, and had it built by his nephew
Christopher Wren – one of his first buildings, consecrated in 1665. Wren also led the movement to rebuild
St Paul's Cathedral after it had been damaged by the Puritans, and again his nephew accomplished the task. Wren married Elizabeth Cutler on 17 August 1628. She was the daughter of Thomas Cutler of Ipswich and
Sproughton, Suffolk. Of the twelve children whose birth Wren records in his diary, six died while very young. • Charles Wren • Susan, who married
Robert Wright • Anne • Mary • Frances • Elizabeth Wren died at
Ely House, Holborn, on 24 April 1667. His body was transported from London to Cambridge and was buried in the chapel he had built at Pembroke College, Cambridge on 11 May. == Theology ==