Career
Kempster was from Burford in Oxfordshire, England. He sold Cotswold stone from his quarry at Upton, near Burford, to rebuild London after the Great Fire of London in 1666. He was also Christopher Wren"s master mason during the rebuilding of Street Paul"s Cathedral in London.
His County Hall built 1678-1682 in Abingdon is now the Abingdon County Hall Museum.
The Kempster family quarry supplied stone for Blenheim Palace, Oxford colleges, and Windsor Castle. His buildings, many with Sir Christopher Wren, include:
Abingdon County Hall
Street James Garlickhythe, City of London (Kempster also made the font)
Street Mary Abchurch, City of London
Street Mary"s Church, North Leigh
Street Stephen Walbrook, City of London
Tom Tower, Christ Church, Oxford
John Perrott, Lord of the Manor, engaged Kempster to refit Street Mary"s Church, North Leigh and build a burial chapel for the Perrott family to the north of the north aisle.
Kempster linked the Perrott chapel and the north aisle by an arcade of Tuscan columns. Street John the Baptist"s Church in Burford has a memorial to Christopher Kempster.