Precentors

Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1541-1857: Volume 2, Chichester Diocese. Originally published by Institute of Historical Research, London, 1971.

'Precentors', in Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1541-1857: Volume 2, Chichester Diocese, (London, 1971) pp. 9-12. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/fasti-ecclesiae/1541-1847/vol2/pp9-12 [accessed 24 April 2024]

The precentors were also prebendaries of Oving, and before the Reformation resigned other prebends on becoming precentor (The Early Statutes of Chichester, ed. M. E. C. Walcott (London, 1877) p. 3 n.; Suss. Arch. Coll. xxxiv 185-214). However, there are some instances when a precentor retained or acquired a prebend in addition to Oving. Precentor Henry Ball held Bursal prebend 1593-1603 (below, pp. 10, 66), William Cox held Hova Villa c. 1640-58 (below, pp. 11, 42), Joseph Henshaw held Bishopshurst as well as the deanery with the precentorship 1660-3 (above, p. 7 & n. 3, below, pp. 11, 20), Henry Edes retained Seaford 1696-1703 (below, pp. 11, 48) and Daniel Walter held Wisborough 1719-46 (below, pp. 12, 62). From the late eighteenth century it seems standard practice to hold a prebend, for Charles Ashburnham held Waltham 1774-1800 (below, pp. 12, 59), Thomas Ferris held Bishopshurst 1801 (below, pp. 12, 20) and Samuel Holland held Woodhorn 1825-57 (below, pp. 12, 64). The only exception was Moses Toghill who resigned Selsey apparently on becoming precentor (below, pp. 12, 50).

William Horsey D.Cn.L. 1505-1543.

Coll. 15 Feb. 1505 (Ep. 1/1/4 f. 42). D. by 18 Apr. 1543 (L. & P. xviii i no. 474 (42)).

George Wyndham 1543.

Pres. by k. sede vacante 18 Apr. 1543 (L. & P. xviii i no. 474 (42)). Adm. by abp. 28 Apr. (Lamb., Reg. Cranmer f. 388). Instal. 2 May (WAB. p. 68). D. 2/16 July (PCC 23 Spert; Ep. 1/1/6 f. 11).

Cuthbert Oxley B.D. 1543-1548.

Coll. 25 July 1543 (Ep. 1/1/6 f. 11). D. by 7 Jan. 1548 (ibid. f. 49v).

Thomas Day B.C.L. 1548-1568.

Adm. 7 Jan. 1548, probably at pres. of Richard Day of Oxford and Edmund Cratford M.A., to whom gr. of next pres. made by bp. 20 Dec. 1546 and conf. by chapter 7 Jan. 1547 (Ep. 1/1/6 f. 49v; AC. p. 11). Instal. 7 Jan. 1548 (AC. p. 11). D. by 22 Feb. 1568 (burial, Christ Church, Oxford) (Survey of Cath. 11 451; C.P.R. 1569-72 p. 4).

Thomas Willoughby M.A. 1570-?

John Beacon D.C.L. 1580, 1582-1587.

Willoughby pres. by queen sede vacante 9 March 1570 (P.R.O., C 66/1061; C.P.R. 1569-72 p. 4). Adm. by abp. 16 March (Reg. Parker 1 284). Instal. 22 March (AC. p. 69). Dean of Rochester 1574, but seems to have retained precentorship also. Coll. to Beacon 16 Feb. 1580 (Ep. 1/1/7 f. 40v). Bp.'s mand. for instal. 18 Feb. (Cap. 1/8/2). Instal. 18 Apr. (AC. p. 102), apparently ineffective. Willoughby d. by 18 May 1582, probably by 3 Apr. (PCC 20 Tirwhite; Cap. 1/8/2). Further mand. for instal. of Beacon, 3 Apr., at pres. of Robert Dudley, earl of Leicester, patron hac vice (Cap. 1/8/2). Instal. s.d. (AC. p. 107). D. by 4 Sept. 1587 (burial, St. Giles, Cripplegate) (London, Guildhall MS. 6419/1 f. 97).

John Reynolds D.D. 1587.

Bp.'s mand. for instal. 9 Sept. 1587 (Cap. 1/8/2). Instal. by proxy s.d. (AC. p. 119).

Henry Ball M.A. 1587-1603.

Bp.'s mand. for instal. 24 Sept. 1587 (Cap. 1/8/2). Instal. 27 Sept. (AC. p. 119). D. 30 March 1603 (m.i., Chichester cath.) (Brit. Mus., Add. MS. 5699 f. 344/p. 747; Ep. 1/1/8 f. 21v).

John Mattock B.D. 1603-1612.

Coll. 7 Oct. 1603 (Ep. 1/1/8 f. 21v). Instal. 20 Feb. 1604 (AC. p. 161). D. by 27 Dec. 1612 (burial, Chichester cath.) (Par. 44/2/1 f. 145; Ep. 1/1/8 f. 64v).

Thomas Muriell M.A. 1613-1629.

Coll. 10 Apr. 1613 (Ep. 1/1/8 f. 64v). Instal. 11 Apr. (AC. p. 194). D. by 7 Oct. 1629 (burial, Hildersham, Cambs.) (Ely Episc. Records p. 316; Cap. 1/8/2).

David Stokes M.A. 1629-1631.

Coll 23 Oct. 1629 (Cap. 1/8/2; Bodl. Libr., MS. Ashmole 1144 p. 370). Instal. 26 Oct. (AC. p. 240). Res. by 19 March 1631 (ibid. p. 243).

Christopher Potter D.D. 1631-?

Coll. 19 March 1631 (P.R.O., E 331 Chich./6; Bodl. Libr., MS. Ashmole 1144 p. 378). Instal. s.d. (AC. p. 243). Dean of Worcester 1636, but still occ. as precentor 5 Jan. 1642 (ibid. p. 267).

William Cox D.D. ?-1658.

D. as precentor c. 15 Feb. 1658; buried 20 Feb. (m.i. and burial, Tillington) (Suss. N. and Q. iv 91-2; Par. 197/1/1/2; Cap. 1/8/2).

Joseph Henshaw D.D. 1658-1663.

Bp.'s mand. for instal. 29 Apr. 1658 (Cap. 1/8/2). (fn. 1) Instal. 12 July 1660 (Cap. 1/3/2 f. 1). Dean in Oct., but held precentorship also until bp. of Peterborough 1663. (fn. 2)

Joseph Gulston D.D. 1663-1669.

Pres. by k. 19 May 1663; adm. 20 May; instal. by proxy 23 May (P.R.O., C 66/3047, E 331 Chich./11; Cap. 1/3/2 f. 21). Held precentorship and deanery (fn. 2) to d. 10 Apr. 1669 (m.i., Chichester cath.) (Brit. Mus., Add. MS. 5699 f. 344/p. 747; Cap. 1/3/2 f. 46).

Nathaniel Crew D.C.L. 1669-1671.

Instal. 28 Apr. 1669 (Cap. 1/3/2 f. 46). Held precentorship and deanery (fn. 2) until bp. of Oxford 1671.

George Stradling D.D. 1671-1688.

Pres. by k. 5 July 1671 (Cal. S.P. Dom. 1671 p. 366). Instal. 22 July (Cap. 1/3/2 f. 57; Wood's Life and Times 11 228). Became dean of Chichester 1672, but held precentorship also (fn. 2) until d. 19 Apr. 1688 (Cap. 1/3/2 f. 117).

Robert Jenkin M.A. 1688-1690.

Coll. 7 May 1688 (P.R.O., E 331 Chich./16). Instal. s.d. (Cap. 1/3/2 f. 117). Depriv. as non-Juror by 28 July 1690 (ibid. f. 126; Ep. 1/1/10 f. 30). (fn. 3)

John Patrick M.A. 1690-1695.

Coll. 28 July 1690 (Ep. 1/1/10 f. 30). Instal. 29 July (Cap. 1/3/2 f. 126). D. 19 Dec. 1695 (Reg. of Charterhouse Chapel, ed. F. Collins (London, 1892) pp. 87, 52; Ep. 1/1/10 f. 42v).

Henry Edes D.D. 1696-1703.

Coll. 9 June 1696 (Ep. 1/1/10 f. 42v). Instal. 10 June (Cap. 1/3/2 f. 146). D. 18 May 1703 (ibid. f. 207v; Par. 44/2/1 f. 227).

Edmund Gibson D.D. 1703-1717.

Pres. 21 May 1703 by abp. to whom gr. of next pres. made by bp. (Ep. 1/6/736). Adm. 24 May (Ep. 1/1/10 f. 57). Instal. 2 June (Cap. 1/3/2 f. 176v). Bp. of Lincoln 1716, but held precentorship in commendam until 1717.

Henry Gray D.D. 1717-1719.

Pres. by k. 23 Oct. 1717 (Hist. Reg. Chron. 1717, ii 42) or 6 Jan. 1718 (P.R.O., C 66/3524). Adm. 14 Jan. (Ep. 1/1/10 f. 78). Instal. 20 Jan. (Cap. 1/3/3 f. 30). D. by 18 Sept. 1719 (Ep. 1/1/10 f. 80v). (fn. 4)

Daniel Walter senior M.A. 1719-1761.

Coll. 18 Sept. 1719 (Ep. 1/1/10 f. 80v). Instal. 19 Sept. (Cap. 1/3/3 f. 40). D. 8 Apr. 1761 (m.i., Chichester cath.) (Brit. Mus., Add. MS. 5699 f. 351/p. 759; Ep. 1/1/11 f. 69v).

Thomas Herring M.A. 1761-1774.

Nomin. in will of Thomas Herring, abp. of Canterbury, to whom gr. of next pres. made by bp.; adm. 16 Apr. 1761 (Ep. 1/1/11 f. 69v). Instal. 25 Apr. (Cap. 1/3/4 p. 221). D. 18 Apr. 1774 (Gent. Mag. 1774, xliv 190; Ep. 1/1/11 f. 84v).

Charles Ashburnham M.A. 1774-1800.

Coll. 26 Sept. 1774 (Ep. 1/1/11 f. 84v). Instal. s.d. (Cap. 1/3/4 p. 345). D. 16 Dec. 1800 (Gent. Mag. 1800, lxx (2) 1297).

Thomas Ferris D.D. 1801.

Coll. 9 Jan. 1801 (P.R.O., E 331 Chich./39). Instal. 10 Jan. (Cap. 1/3/5 f. 168). D. 19 June (Gent. Mag. 1801, lxxi (1) 581).

Moses Toghill M.A. 1801-1825.

Coll. 21 Aug. 1801 (P.R.O., E 331 Chich./39). Instal. 22 Aug. (Cap. 1/3/5 f. 174). D. 14 Jan. 1825 (Gent. Mag. 1825, xcv (1) 283; P.R.O., E 331 Chich./43).

Samuel Holland D.M. 1825-1857.

Abp. Sutton signified 4 June 1824 to bp.-elect Carr that he chose the pres. to the precentorship on its next vacancy as his option (Lamb., Reg. Sutton f. 354). Gr. of this made by bp. to abp. 24 June; Holland pres. by abp. 31 Jan. 1825 (Cap. 1/10/16). Adm. 10 Feb. (P.R.O., E 331 Chich./43). Instal. 11 Feb. (Cap. 1/3/6 p. 159). D. 16 Apr. 1857 (Gent. Mag. 1857, cxl (1) 624; Reg. Durnford and Gilbert p. 100).