Details of Sculptor

Surname

Young

Alternative Surname

First Name

Nicholas

Initial of Surname

Y

Year of Birth/Baptism

Flourished

1663-87

Year of Death

Biographical Details

Young, who was admitted to the Masons’ Company in 1663, was the son of John Young I, with whom he worked as an assistant or partner. Inderwick quotes an agreement of l August 1663, between Sir Heneage Finch, treasurer of the Inner Temple, and ‘John Younge and Nicholas Younge his son, Citizens and Freemasons’ for repairs to the Temple bridge (Inderwick 1896-1936, 3, 21). Similarly, the Court Book of the Mercers’ Company notes a payment of £50 to ‘John Young and his sonne Nicholas’ in 1670.
Working under Sir Christopher Wren, Nicholas Young was employed as a master-builder at several of the City churches, including St Andrew-by-the-Wardrobe and St Michael, Cornhill (1670-77). He also provided a certain amount of stone-carving, making a festoon measuring 18 feet, for the front of St George, Botolph Lane (5), as part of a major masonry contract worth around £10,000, and four pillars costing £120 for St Martin, Ludgate Hill (4). He also worked at St Mary-at-Hill in 1670-76, and under Wren at Ludgate in 1680.
He was warden of the Masons’ Company in 1674 and in 1679, becoming master in 1682. Gunnis felt that his finest work of sculpture was the bust of Gideon De Laune (1). His son, John Young III, was made free from the Masons’ Company by patrimony on 12 October 1699.
Literary References: Knoop and Jones 1935, 31; Robinson and Adams 1935, 442; Gunnis 1968, 452; Colvin 1995, 1136
Archival References: Masons’ Co, Masters and Wardens; Masons’ Co, Freemen, fol 74
Portraits of the Sculptor: ex coll Derek Sherburn, untraced (C Lib repr)