Deans of Chester

Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1541-1857: Volume 11, Carlisle, Chester, Durham, Manchester, Ripon, and Sodor and Man Dioceses. Originally published by Institute of Historical Research, London, 2004.

This free content was digitised by double rekeying. All rights reserved.

'Deans of Chester', in Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1541-1857: Volume 11, Carlisle, Chester, Durham, Manchester, Ripon, and Sodor and Man Dioceses, (London, 2004) pp. 42-45. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/fasti-ecclesiae/1541-1847/vol11/pp42-45 [accessed 24 March 2024]

DEANS OF CHESTER

Thomas Clerk B.D. (fn. 1) 1541.

Apptd. in foundation charter 4 Aug. 1541 (L. & P. XVI no. 1135 (4)). D. 14 Sept. × 8 Oct. (Lancs. and Ches. Wills, ed. G.J. Piccope (Chetham Soc., xxxiii, 1857) pp. 125–30; L. & P. XVI no. 1308 (8)).

Henry Man D.D. (fn. 2) 1541–1547.

Pres. by king 8 Oct. 1541 (L. & P. XVI no. 1308 (8)–'cathedral church of Westchester'). Bp. of Sodor and Man 1546, but lic. gr. 22 Jan. to hold deanery in commendam (ibid., XXI i no. 149 (27); Lamb., Reg. Pole f. 44). Res. by 31 May 1547 (C.P.R. 1547–8 p. 209).

William Clyff D.C.L. 1547–1558.

Pres. by king 31 May 1547 (C.P.R. 1547–8 p. 209). Royal mand. to bp. and canons to install him 6 June (ibid. p. 216). Instit. 26 Aug. (P.R.O., E 331 CHESTER/1). D. 7 Dec. 1558 (Brit. Libr., Lansdowne MS. 980 f. 242/226; C.P.R. 1558–60 p. 255).

Richard Walker M.A. 1560–1567.

Pres. by queen 10 Jan. 1560 (C.P.R. 1558–60 p. 255). D. 4 × 17 Sept. 1567 (P.R.O., PROB 11/49, PCC 33 Stonarde; ibid., E 331 COVENTRY&LICH/3 (archdenry of Derby); C.P.R. 1566–9 no. 328).

John Piers D.D. 1567–1572.

Pres. by queen 4 Oct. 1567 (C.P.R. 1566–9 no. 328). Dean of Christ Church, Oxford 1571, but retained deanery of Chester; res. by 28 Feb. 1572, on becoming dean of Salisbury (C.P.R. 1569–72 no. 3297).

Richard Langworth D.D. 1572–1579.

Pres. by queen 28 Feb. 1572 (C.P.R. 1569–72 no. 3297). D. 19 × 22 Apr. 1579 (P.R.O., PROB 11/61, PCC 25 Bakon; Corporation of London R.O., PR St. Andrew Holborn; C.P.R. 1578–80 no. 703).

Robert Dorset D.D. 1579–1580.

Pres. by queen 17 Aug. 1579 (C.P.R. 1578–80 no. 703; EDD. 3913/3/1 f. 40v). Dorset apptd. proctors 22 Aug. (ibid. ff. 40v–41). D. 20 May 1580 (Oxford, Christ Church Archives, D. & C. i.b.l f. 86).

Thomas Mawdesley B.D. 1580–1589.

Pres. by queen 12 Aug. 1580 (P.R.O., C 66/1195). Mawdesley occ. in treasurer's accounts for Christmas term 1582 (EDD. 3913/1/2 p. 233). Occ. in the accounts for Annunciation term 1589, but in the accounts for the Nativity of St. John the Baptist term 1589 payment was made to Alice, wife and relict of Mawdesley, late dean (EDD. 3913/1/3 pp. 23, 29).

John Nutter B.D. 1589–1602.

Pres. by queen 4 July 1589 (P.R.O., C 66/1330). Instit. 7 Aug. 1590 (sic) (EDA. 2/2 f. 37v). D. 30 March 1602; buried Sefton, Lancs., 18 Apr. (Parish Reg. of Sefton, 1597–1783, ed. C.F. Russell (Lancs. Parish Reg. Soc., lxxxvi, 1947) p. 17).

William Barlow D.D. 1602–1605.

Pres. by queen 21 May 1602 (P.R.O., C 66/1581). Bp. of Rochester 1605.

Henry Parry D.D. 1605–1607.

Pres. by king 14 May 1605 (Cal. S.P. Dom., 1603–10 p. 217). Allegedly instal. 1 Aug. (Survey of Cath. I 339). Occ. in Michaelmas term accounts 1605 (EDD. 3913/1/3 p. 233). Bp. of Gloucester 1607.

Thomas Mallory M.A. 1607–1644.

Pres. by king 13 July 1607 (P.R.O., C 66/1747; Cal. S.P. Dom. 1603–10 p. 364). D. 3 Apr. 1644 (Survey of Cath. I 339; EDD. 3913/3/3, reverse order, unpaginated).

William Nichols D.D. 1644–1657.

Pres. by king 12 Apr. 1644; instit. 27 Apr.; instal. s.d. (EDD. 3913/3/3, reverse order, unpaginated). D. 16 Dec. 1657 (m.i., Northenden, Lancs.) (Survey of Cath. I 340; EDD. 3913/3/3, reverse order, unpaginated).

Henry Bridgeman D.D. 1660–1682.

Pres. by king 13 July 1660 (P.R.O., C 66/1918, 1934); pres. issued 16 July (EDD. 3913/3/3, reverse order, unpaginated; EDD. 3913/3/2 p. 3). Bp. of Sodor and Man 1671, but held this deanery in commendam to d. 15 May 1682 (Cal. S.P. Dom. 1671 p. 463; Wood's Life and Times III 15).

James Arderne D.D. 1682–1691.

Deanery vac. at Midsummer term accounts 1682 (Henry Bridgeman's name crossed out as dean and no other name inserted) (EDD. 3913/1/5, unpaginated). Arderne occ. 7 Sept. (Cal. S.P. Dom. 1682 p. 372) and in Michaelmas term accounts (EDD. 3913/1/5, unpaginated). D. 18 Aug. 1691 (Survey of Cath. I 340) or 15 Sept. (J.P. Earwaker, East Cheshire (London, 1877–80) II 657, citing 'a MS. diary at Tabley House').

Lawrence Fogg D.D. 1691–1718.

Pres. by king 23 Oct. 1691 (EDD. 3913/3/3 p. 94). Instit. 2 Nov. (P.R.O., E 331 CHESTER/13). Instal. 9 Nov. (EDD. 3913/3/3 p. 94). D. 27 Feb. 1718 (m.i., Chester cath.) (Ormerod, Hist. Ches. I 295).

Walter Offley M.A. 1718–1721.

Pres. by king 7 March 1718 (Hist. Reg. Chron. 1718, iii 10). D. 22 July 1721 (Hist. Reg. Chron. 1721, vi 31).

Thomas Allen M.A. 1721–1732.

Pres. by king 12 Nov. 1721 (Hist. Reg. Chron. 1721, vi 43). Instit. 13 July 1722 (P.R.O., E 331 CHESTER/19). D. by 31 May 1732 (burial, Stoke on Trent, Staffs.) (Lichfield R.O., PR Stoke on Trent; Lond. Gaz. no. 7097).

Thomas Brooke LL.D. 1732–1758.

Pres. by king pubd. 1 June 1732 (Lond. Gaz. no. 7097); pres. issued 15 June (P.R.O., C. 66/3587). Instit. 18 July (P.R.O., E 331 CHESTER/21). D. 23 Dec. 1757 (Gent. Mag. 1758, xxviii 46).

William Smith D.D. 1758–1787.

Pres. by king pubd. 4 July 1758 (Lond. Gaz. no. 9805); pres. issued 8 July (P.R.O., C 66/3662). Instit. 28 July (EDA. 1/6 f. 55). Instal. s.d. (EDD. 3913/3/5 p. 59). D. 12 Jan. 1787 (m.i., Chester cath.) (Ormerod, Hist. Ches. 1292).

George Cotton LL.D. 1787–1805.

Pres. by king pubd. 30 Jan. 1787 (Lond. Gaz. no. 12825). Instit. 10 Feb. (EDA. 1/8 f. 150). Instal. s.d. (EDD. 3913/3/5 p. 242). D. 10 Dec. 1805 (Gent. Mag. 1805, lxxv (2) 1179).

Hugh Cholmondeley D.D. 1806–1815.

Pres. by king pubd. 28 Jan. 1806 (Lond. Gaz. no. 15884). Instit. 24 Feb. (P.R.O., E 331 CHESTER/36). Instal. 28 March (EDD. 3913/3/5 p. 345). D. 25 Nov. 1815 (Gent. Mag. 1815, lxxxv (2) 70; EDA. 1/10 f. 85).

Robert Hodgson D.D. 1815–1820.

Pres. by king pubd. 12 Dec. 1815 (Lond. Gaz. no. 17090). Instit. 25 Jan. (EDA. 1/10 f. 85). Instal. 7 March (EDD. 3913/3/5 p. 443). Dean of Carlisle 1820, and res. this by 11 May (EDA. 1/10 f. 141v).

Peter Vaughan D.D. 1820–1826.

Pres. by king pubd. 14 Apr. 1820 (Lond. Gaz. no. 17589). Instit. 11 May (EDA. 1/10 f. 141v). Instal. 1 July (EDD. 3913/3/6 p. 22). D. 25 Apr. 1826 (Gent. Mag. 1826, xcvi (2) 282; EDA. 1/11 p. 39).

Edward Coplestone D.D. 1826–1828.

Pres. by king pubd. 7 Aug. 1826 (Lond. Gaz. no. 18275). Instit. 5 Sept. (EDA. 1/11 p. 39). Instal. s.d. (EDD. 3913/3/6 p. 53). Bp. of Llandaff 1828.

Henry Phillpotts D.D. 1828–1831.

Pres. by king pubd. 19 March 1828 (Lond. Gaz. no. 18454). Instit. 13 May (EDA. 1/11 p. 89). Instal. 18 May (EDD. 3913/3/6 p. 134). Bp. of Exeter 1831.

George Davys D.D. 1831–1839.

Pres. by king pubd. 10 Jan. 1831 (Lond. Gaz. no. 18766). Instit. 21 Feb. (EDA. 1/11 p. 237). Instal. 10 March (EDD. 3913/3/6 p. 157). Bp. of Peterborough 1839.

Frederick Anson D.D. 1839–1867.

Pres. by king pubd. 9 May 1839 (Lond. Gaz. no. 19732). Instit. 2 Nov. (EDA. 1/12 f. 164v). Instal. s.d. (EDD. 3913/3/6 p. 200). D. 7 May 1867 (ibid. p. 351) or 8 May (Gent. Mag. 1867, 4th ser. iii 829; The Times, 10 May).

Footnotes

  • 1. Formerly abbot of St. Werburgh, Chester (L. & P. XV no. 87).
  • 2. Formerly prior of Sheen (L. & P. XIX i no. 368 (f. 11)).