Builder and economist, a key figure in the rebuilding of London after the Great Fire. Laid out Essex Street in 1675. Also redeveloped Red Lion Fields and the Temple. It seems he was an extrovert rogue, dishonest and manipulative. Died, probably at his home in Osterley House, Middlesex, heavily in debt. Good write up at London Historians.
His father, a preacher and politician, had the unusual first name: "Praisegod". That we believe is true since the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography has an entry for Praisegod. Wikipedia's entry for Nicholas has his middle name as "Unless-Jesus-Christ-Had-Died-For-Thee-Thou-Hadst-Been-Damned". This is not mentioned in the ODNB so we wonder if it is one of those ho-ho-ho jokes for which Wikipedia's less-than-serious contributors are famed.
This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Nicholas Barbon
Commemorated ati
Essex Street & Essex Hall
This plaque was first erected at 7 Essex Street in 1962 and then re-erected h...
Other Subjects
George Robert Welby Wheeler, AMICE
George Robert Welby Wheeler was born on 20 November 1845 in Bermondsey, Surrey (now Greater London), the eldest of the six children of George Charles Wheeler (1820-1886) and Charlotte Wheeler née W...
Sir Christopher Wren
Born East Knoyle, Wiltshire, died London. Designer of 54 London churches, of which 13 were destroyed in the Blitz. Part of one of his churches, St Antholin, has ended up in an unexpected location...
Gordon and Viner
Architects. We can find no other building by this pair, nor anything about them.
John Knight
Architect. We only have some ideas about who this might be, from Charles Saumarez Smith. In 1862 he may be the J. McKenzie Knight who designed the lovely Vestry Hall in Bancroft Road E1, and is now...
Previously viewed
Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands
She had a busy time on her visit to England in June 1989 to help us celebrate the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and the crowning of William of Orange in 1689. We've found 1 memorial she unveiled on ...
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