Who was Sir John Vanbrugh?
Playwright, soldier, political radical, architect…
From the Bastille to Baroque: the remarkable life of Vanbrugh
Sir John Vanbrugh (1664–1726) was one of the most remarkable figures of early eighteenth-century England. Playwright, soldier, political radical and, most famously, architect, his life was as colourful as the buildings he left behind.
Early life
Vanbrugh was born in London, the son of a prosperous merchant of Flemish Protestant descent and an English gentlewoman. As a young man he tried several paths: in 1683 he travelled to India with the East India Company, but the merchant’s life did not suit him. A brief period of soldiering followed, before he entered the household of an aristocratic cousin.
His fortunes took a dramatic turn in 1688 when, travelling in France, he was arrested on suspicion of spying. He spent almost five years imprisoned, including time in the Bastille. Though a harsh experience, it exposed him to French architecture and theatre, influences that would shape his later career.
Literary career
On returning to England, Vanbrugh turned to writing. His first play, The Relapse (1696), was a huge success at Drury Lane. It was followed by The Provoked Wife (1697), another sharp-witted Restoration comedy that challenged social and marital conventions. These works established him as one of the era’s most outspoken dramatists.
Social and political life
Vanbrugh moved in influential circles. He became a member of the Kit Kat Club, a gathering of prominent Whig politicians, writers and aristocrats. Through these connections he built friendships that would later lead to major architectural commissions. His Whig ideals — support for constitutional monarchy, a strong Parliament and resistance to France — also coloured both his plays and his architectural vision.
