Christopher Hampton (archbishop)
Encyclopedia
Christopher Hampton was an Englishman who became the Church of Ireland
Archbishop of Armagh
from 1613.
, and was born at Calais
in 1552 of English parents. He was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge
, where he graduate B.A. 1572, M.A. 1575, B.D. 1582 and D.D. 1598. He became a Fellow of Trinity in 1574, and was vicar of Chesterton, Cambridgeshire
from 1585 to 1589.
On the death of Brutus Babington
, bishop of Derry
, he was nominated to the see by king's letter dated 21 December 1611, and was elected. He was not in fact consecrated to the see of Derry, but to that of Armagh, vacant by the death of Henry Ussher
, by king's letter dated 16 April, and by patent of 7 May 1613, and was consecrated the next day in St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin
. A few days later, on the opening of parliament by the lord deputy, Arthur Chichester, 1st Baron Chichester
, Lord Deputy of Ireland
, Hampton the new primate preached in the cathedral before the peers. He was appointed king's almoner (being the first to hold that office), and a member of the Irish privy council.
In 1622 James Ussher, then bishop of Meath
, preached a sermon before the Lord Deputy to which exceptions were taken by the recusants. Hampton sent him a letter of mild rebuke, but indicating that the sermon had been in some respects indiscreet. Hampton built a palace at Drogheda
, then the principal place of residence of the archbishops, and restored the cathedral church of St. Patrick, Armagh, which had been reduced to ruins by Shane O'Neill
. He recast the great bell, and repaired the old episcopal residence at Armagh, to which he added new buildings. Against claims advanced by Thomas Jones
and Lancelot Bulkeley
, archbishops of Dublin, he maintained the rights of his see to precedence, both in parliament and in convocation. He died unmarried at Drogheda on 3 January 1625, and was buried in the parish church of St. Peter there.
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
Archbishop of Armagh
Archbishop of Armagh (Church of Ireland)
The Anglican Archbishop of Armagh is the ecclesiastical head of the Church of Ireland, the metropolitan of the Province of Armagh and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Armagh....
from 1613.
Life
He is called John in the printed Patent RollsPatent Rolls
The Patent Rolls are primary sources for English history, a record of the King of England's correspondence, starting in 1202....
, and was born at Calais
Calais
Calais is a town in Northern France in the department of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's capital is its third-largest city of Arras....
in 1552 of English parents. He was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, where he graduate B.A. 1572, M.A. 1575, B.D. 1582 and D.D. 1598. He became a Fellow of Trinity in 1574, and was vicar of Chesterton, Cambridgeshire
Chesterton, Cambridgeshire
Chesterton is a suburb in the northeast corner of Cambridge, England.It is also the name of two electoral wards in the city...
from 1585 to 1589.
On the death of Brutus Babington
Brutus Babington
Brutus Babington was an Englishman who became the Church of Ireland bishop of Derry.-Life:He was a native of Cheshire, and was admitted to Christ's College, Cambridge, where he matriculated in 1572. He graduated B.A. in 1576, and became a fellow also in 1576, with an M.A...
, bishop of Derry
Bishop of Derry
The Bishop of Derry is an episcopal title which takes its name after the city of Derry in Northern Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with another bishopric.-History:...
, he was nominated to the see by king's letter dated 21 December 1611, and was elected. He was not in fact consecrated to the see of Derry, but to that of Armagh, vacant by the death of Henry Ussher
Henry Ussher
Henry Ussher was an Irish Protestant churchman, a founder of Trinity College, Dublin and Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh.-Life:...
, by king's letter dated 16 April, and by patent of 7 May 1613, and was consecrated the next day in St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin
St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin
Saint Patrick's Cathedral , or more formally, the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Patrick is a cathedral of the Church of Ireland in Dublin, Ireland which was founded in 1191. The Church has designated it as The National Cathedral of Ireland...
. A few days later, on the opening of parliament by the lord deputy, Arthur Chichester, 1st Baron Chichester
Arthur Chichester, 1st Baron Chichester
Arthur Chichester, 1st Baron Chichester , known between 1596 and 1613 as Sir Arthur Chichester, was an English administrator and soldier, best known as the Lord Deputy of Ireland from 1604 to 1615.- Early life :...
, Lord Deputy of Ireland
Lord Deputy of Ireland
The Lord Deputy was the King's representative and head of the Irish executive under English rule, during the Lordship of Ireland and later the Kingdom of Ireland...
, Hampton the new primate preached in the cathedral before the peers. He was appointed king's almoner (being the first to hold that office), and a member of the Irish privy council.
In 1622 James Ussher, then bishop of Meath
Bishop of Meath
The Bishop of Meath is an episcopal title which takes its name after the ancient Kingdom of Meath. In the Roman Catholic Church it remains as a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with another bishopric.-History:...
, preached a sermon before the Lord Deputy to which exceptions were taken by the recusants. Hampton sent him a letter of mild rebuke, but indicating that the sermon had been in some respects indiscreet. Hampton built a palace at Drogheda
Drogheda
Drogheda is an industrial and port town in County Louth on the east coast of Ireland, 56 km north of Dublin. It is the last bridging point on the River Boyne before it enters the Irish Sea....
, then the principal place of residence of the archbishops, and restored the cathedral church of St. Patrick, Armagh, which had been reduced to ruins by Shane O'Neill
Shane O'Neill
Seán Ó Néill, anglicised Shane O'Neill , nicknamed 'Seán an díomais', was an Irish king of the O'Neill dynasty of Ulster in the mid 16th century. Shane O'Neill's career was marked by his ambition to be The Ó Néill Mór - Sovereign of the dominant Ó Néill Mór family of Tyrone... and thus head...
. He recast the great bell, and repaired the old episcopal residence at Armagh, to which he added new buildings. Against claims advanced by Thomas Jones
Thomas Jones (Archbishop)
Thomas Jones was Archbishop of Dublin and Lord Chancellor of Ireland. He was also Dean of St. Patrick's Cathedral and Bishop of Meath and the patrilineal ancestor of the Viscounts Ranelagh....
and Lancelot Bulkeley
Lancelot Bulkeley
-Life:He was the eleventh and youngest son of Sir Richard Bulkeley of Beaumaris and Cheadle, but the eldest by his second wife, Agnes, daughter of Thomas Needham of Stenton. He was thus half-brother of Sir Richard Bulkeley. He entered at the beginning of 1587 as commoner Brasenose College, Oxford,...
, archbishops of Dublin, he maintained the rights of his see to precedence, both in parliament and in convocation. He died unmarried at Drogheda on 3 January 1625, and was buried in the parish church of St. Peter there.