ARCHDEACONS OF CHESTER
[William Knight D.C.L. 1522–1541.
Instal. 11 Nov. 1522 as archdcn. of Chester in Coventry and Lichfield dioc.
(Lichfield R.O., D30/2/1/3 (Chapter Acts 1490–1523) f. 137). Surrendered
archdcnry to king 20 May 1541 (ibid., D30/2/1/4 (Chapter Acts 1521–75) ff. 130v–
131); made bp. of Bath and Wells. Archdcnry annexed to the new dioc. of Chester
(L. & P. XVI no. 1135(6)).]
John Birde 1541–1554. Bp. of Chester.
Royal gr. 5 Aug. 1541 of archdcnry, to hold with the bpc. of Chester (L. & P.
XVI no. 1135 (6)). Depriv. of both offices [n.d., probably 20 March 1554] because
married (Canterbury cath. libr., Reg. N f. 38v).
Robert Perceval B.D. 1559, 1563.
Depriv. of archdcnry n.d. 1559 (Sanders, De Visibili Monarchia p. 688), although
still occ. as a canon (and possibly as archdcn.) in treasurer's accounts for
Michaelmas term (EDD. 3913/1/1 p. 332). Last occ. in Michaelmas term 1562
accounts; does not feature in the next extant accounts, Christmas term 1563 (EDD.
3913/1/2 pp. 29, 37). (fn. 1) )
Robert Rogers B.D. ?–1595.
Occ. 3 July 1566 (P.R.O., E 331 CHESTER/1 (note that had paid first-fruits)).
D. by 1 Dec. 1595 (EDA. 1/4 f. 24r–v). Caveat issued 2 Jan. 1596 re archdcnry
lately held by Robert Rogers deceased, at instance of William Gerarde, alleged
patron (EDA. 1/4 f. 190v) (fn. 2) .
Cuthbert Bellott B.D. 1596–1619.
Coll. and adm. by proxy 3 Jan. 1596, despite claim of William Gerarde
to be patron (EDA. 1/4 ff. 24, 190v). Res. by 16 Jan. 1619 (EDA. 1/4 f.
68v).
George Snell M.A. 1619–1656.
Coll. 16 Jan. 1619; instal. s.d. (EDA. 1/4 f. 68v; P.R.O., E 331 CHESTER/1).
Coll. and instit. again 30 Nov. (P.R.O., E 331 CHESTER/1). D. 5 Feb. 1656 (m.i.,
Chester, St. Mary on the Hill) (Survey of Cath. I 341).
John Carter B.D. 1660–1667.
Pres. by king sede vacante 19 Oct. 1660 (P.R.O., C 66/2919). D. by 1 March
1667 (burial, Settrington, E.R. Yorks.) (Reg. of Settrington 1559–1812, ed. F.
Collins (Yorks. Parish Reg. Soc., xxxviii, 1910) p. 125).
William Finmore M.A. 1666–1686.
Allegedly instal. 6 Nov. 1666 (Survey of Cath. I 342). Occ. as archdcn. Nov.
1680 (EDD. 3913/1/5, unpaginated). D. 7 Apr. 1686 (m.i., Chester cath.) (ibid. p.
342).
John Allen M.A. 1686–1695.
Coll. 12 Apr. 1686 (P.R.O., E 331 CHESTER/12). D. 17 Apr. 1695 (m.i., Chester
cath.) (Survey of Cath. I 342).
Edmund Entwisle D.D. 1695–1707.
Coll. 30 Apr. 1695 (P.R.O., E 331 CHESTER/14). D. 15 Sept. 1707 (m.i.,
Chester cath.) (Survey of Cath. I 342–3).
John Thane D.D. 1708–1727.
Allegedly instal. Feb. 1708 (Survey of Cath. I 343). D. as archdcn. 30 June
1727 (m.i., Chester cath.) (Ormerod, Hist Ches. I 296).
Lewis Stephens M.A. 1727–1747.
Allegedly pres. 12 Sept. 1727 by abp. of York, patron hac vice by reason of his
option (Ormerod, Hist. Ches. I 116). D. as archdcn. 2 Feb. 1747 (m.i., Droxford,
Hants) (Soc. of Genealogists, 'Hampshire Church Notes', comp. J.B. Whitmore
vol. I; P.R.O., E 331 CHESTER/24).
William Powell D.D. 1747–1751.
Coll. 22 Apr. 1747 (P.R.O., E 331 CHESTER/24). D. 13 Apr. 1751 (Gent. Mag.
1751, xxi 236; P.R.O., E 331 CHESTER/25).
Abel Ward M.A. 1751–1785.
Coll. 20 Apr. 1751 (P.R.O., E 331 CHESTER/25). D. 1 Oct. 1785 (Gent. Mag.
1785, lv (2) 835).
George Taylor M.A. 1786.
Instal. 21 Jan. 1786 (EDA. 1/8 f. 132). Res. accepted 20 Nov. (ibid. f. 146).
George Travis M.A. 1786–1797.
Coll. 27 Nov. 1786 (EDA. 1/8 f. 148). D. 24 Feb. 1797 (m.i., Chester cath.)
(Ormerod, Hist. Ches. I 292; Gent. Mag. 1797, lxvii (1) 351).
Thomas Breithweite D.D. 1797–1800.
Coll. 11 March 1797 (EDA. 1/9 f. 62v). D. 29 Dec. 1800 (Gent. Mag. 1800,
lxx(2) 1300).
Unwin Clarke M.A. 1801–1847.
Coll. 17 Jan. 1801 (EDA. 1/9 f. 105v). D. by 3 Feb. 1847 (Gent. Mag. 1847,
new ser. xxvii 552–3; EDA. 1/13 p. 490).
Isaac Wood M.A. 1847–1865.
Coll. 23 Feb. 1847 (EDA. 1/13 p. 490). Lie. for non-residence 'on account of incapacity
of body' 30 May 1865 (EDA 1/14 p. 670). D. 7 June (The Times, 10 June; EDA. 1/14 p. 677).