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Architect and stage designer. Born near Smithfield. Never married. He studied architecture in Italy and brought the new Palladian designs to Britain. Became Surveyor of the King's Works, the king's architect. Designed the first planned square (Covent Garden) in London and introduced the terraced house.

He collaborated with Ben Jonson to produce a number of masques for the court of King Charles I, for which they received equal payments. This came to an end when they fell out over their competing claims to the invention of the masques. Died at Somerset House.

Do try and see some of his writing - his spelling is delightfully impulsive and bizarre.