Details of Sculptor

Surname

Clarke

Alternative Surname

First Name

John

Initial of Surname

C

Year of Birth/Baptism

Flourished

Year of Death

1708

Biographical Details

Clarke was apprenticed to Timothy Townsend and became free in 1669. He became a warden of the Masons’ Company in 1693 and master four years later. In 1667 he was employed on mason’s work including 'a sink of stone’ and paving at Greenwich Palace and he worked with George Pile at Windsor Castle in 1686. The two were paid for masonry work, including a doorway into the pastry office, a chimney for ‘the Queen’s closett’, sawing and laying several feet of white and black marble ‘at the altar of his Majesty’s Castle’ and laying several feet more of white marble in the Queen’s birdcage. They also provided a marble pedestal and several chimneypieces (1). In 1687 Clarke built Windsor Guildhall (Town Archives, cited in Gunnis 1968, 104).
During the period 1689-96, when extensive additions were made to Hampton Court, he acted with Thomas Hill as one of the principal masons and was paid over £7,000 for his work. Between 1688 and 1691 he built the New School at Eton, receiving £1,050 11s 8d. In 1694 he was there again rebuilding the stairs to the upper chapel. In 1703-4 he built the tower of St Mary, Aldermanbury. He was noted as living at Windsor in the list of members of the Masons’ Company for the year 1708 . His death later that year is recorded in the same document.
Literary References: Willis and Clarke 1886, 446; Hope 1913, 328; Bolton and Hendry 1942, 109; Gunnis 1968, 104
Archival References: Masons’ Co, Freedom Register; Masons’ Co, Masters and Wardens; Masons’ Co, List of Company Members, p 4; BM Harleian 1658 fols 165, 169 (Greenwich); TNA E.351/3463; St Paul’s Cathedral library, MS. WE.35; RG/JP, 3, 344