George Wilkins (priest)
Encyclopedia
George Wilkins, D.D. was born in May 1785 in Norwich. He served as a priest in the Church of England
and was Archdeacon of Nottingham
. He died on 13 August 1865.
designed several famous buildings including the National Gallery, London
. His father was estate architect to the head of the Pierrepont family, who since 1806 had been styled the Earl Manvers
.
He was educated at the Grammar School at Bury St. Edmunds and Caius College, Cambridge.
George was ordained in 1810 and served as, in succession,
During his time in Nottingham, he had a continuing problem in ensuring that people wanting to get married were genuine parishioners. He employed a sexton for each banns application to check the residence of the applicants. There is a touch of irony in this as he himself eloped to Gretna Green
to marry Amelia Auriol Hay during his time at Hadleigh.
As vicar of St. Mary's, he was preaching at a service when a loud crack from the masonry caused those attending to believe that the tower was collapsing, and a panic ensued. Wilkins then summoned the architect Lewis Nockalls Cottingham
to survey the fabric, and Cottingham implemented a scheme to prop up the tower with scaffolding while the tower piers were repaired. By selecting Cottingham, Wilkins is credited with saving St. Mary's medieval fabric, rather than submitting to a project to rebuild the church.
He was also responsible for the construction of two churches out of St. Mary's parish.
A third St. John the Baptist's Church, Leenside, Nottingham
was begun during his incumbency but he resigned before its completion.
He died on 13 August 1865.
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
and was Archdeacon of Nottingham
Archdeacon of Nottingham
The historic Archdeaconry of Nottingham was an extensive ecclesiastical jurisdiction within the diocese of York, England. It comprised almost the whole of the county of Nottingham, and was divided into the four deaneries of Nottingham, Newark, Bingham and Retford...
. He died on 13 August 1865.
Life
George Wilkins came from a family of architects: his brother WilliamWilliam Wilkins (architect)
William Wilkins RA was an English architect, classical scholar and archaeologist. He designed the National Gallery and University College in London, and buildings for several Cambridge colleges.-Life:...
designed several famous buildings including the National Gallery, London
National Gallery, London
The National Gallery is an art museum on Trafalgar Square, London, United Kingdom. Founded in 1824, it houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. The gallery is an exempt charity, and a non-departmental public body of the Department for Culture, Media...
. His father was estate architect to the head of the Pierrepont family, who since 1806 had been styled the Earl Manvers
Earl Manvers
Earl Manvers was a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1806 for Charles Pierrepont, 1st Viscount Newark. He had already been created Baron Pierrepont, of Holme Pierrepont in the County of Nottingham, and Viscount Newark, of Newark-on-Trent in the County of Nottingham, in...
.
He was educated at the Grammar School at Bury St. Edmunds and Caius College, Cambridge.
George was ordained in 1810 and served as, in succession,
- Curate of Great Plumstead 1808
- Curate of Hadleigh, Suffolk, 1808 - 1815
- Vicar of Laxton, NottinghamshireLaxton, NottinghamshireLaxton is a small village in the civil parish of Laxton and Moorhouse in the English county of Nottinghamshire, situated about 25 miles northeast of Nottingham city centre....
, 1813 - 1817 - Vicar of LowdhamLowdhamLowdham is a village in Nottinghamshire between Nottingham and Southwell.Lowdham is in the Newark and Sherwood district.The dual carriageway to the north and Doncaster cuts the village in two....
, Nottinghamshire, 1815 - 1839 - Vicar of St. Mary's Church, NottinghamSt. Mary's Church, NottinghamThe Church of St Mary the Virgin is the oldest religious foundation in the City of Nottingham, England, the largest church after the Roman Catholic Cathedral and the largest mediæval building in Nottingham....
, 1817 - 1843 - Prebendary of Southwell MinsterSouthwell MinsterSouthwell Minster is a minster and cathedral, in Southwell, Nottinghamshire, England. It is six miles away from Newark-on-Trent and thirteen miles from Mansfield. It is the seat of the Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham and the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham.It is considered an outstanding...
1823 - 1865 - Rector of Wing, RutlandWing, RutlandWing is a small village and civil parish in the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England.-Architecture:The 17th-century houses in Wing were built from stone quarried at nearby Barnack and Clipsham. Many are roofed with Collyweston stone slate....
, 1827 - 1839, Archdeacon of NottinghamArchdeacon of NottinghamThe historic Archdeaconry of Nottingham was an extensive ecclesiastical jurisdiction within the diocese of York, England. It comprised almost the whole of the county of Nottingham, and was divided into the four deaneries of Nottingham, Newark, Bingham and Retford...
1832 - 1865 - Rector of BeelsbyBeelsbyBeelsby is a village in North East Lincolnshire, England. The village lies 8 miles south-east of Grimsby.Beelsby population at the 2001 census was 114.The Grade II listed village church is dedicated to St...
, Lincolnshire, 1843 - 1865.
During his time in Nottingham, he had a continuing problem in ensuring that people wanting to get married were genuine parishioners. He employed a sexton for each banns application to check the residence of the applicants. There is a touch of irony in this as he himself eloped to Gretna Green
Gretna Green
Gretna Green is a village in the south of Scotland famous for runaway weddings. It is in Dumfries and Galloway, near the mouth of the River Esk and was historically the first village in Scotland, following the old coaching route from London to Edinburgh. Gretna Green has a railway station serving...
to marry Amelia Auriol Hay during his time at Hadleigh.
As vicar of St. Mary's, he was preaching at a service when a loud crack from the masonry caused those attending to believe that the tower was collapsing, and a panic ensued. Wilkins then summoned the architect Lewis Nockalls Cottingham
Lewis Nockalls Cottingham
Lewis Nockalls Cottingham was a British architect who pioneered the study of Medieval Gothic architecture. He was a restorer and conservator of existing buildings...
to survey the fabric, and Cottingham implemented a scheme to prop up the tower with scaffolding while the tower piers were repaired. By selecting Cottingham, Wilkins is credited with saving St. Mary's medieval fabric, rather than submitting to a project to rebuild the church.
He was also responsible for the construction of two churches out of St. Mary's parish.
- St. Paul's Church, George Street, NottinghamSt. Paul's Church, George Street, NottinghamSt. Paul’s Church, George Street, was a Church of England church built as a Chapel of Ease to St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. It was opened in 1822 and closed in 1924.-Background:...
- Holy Trinity Church, Trinity SquareHoly Trinity Church, Trinity SquareHoly Trinity Church, Nottingham was a Church of England church in Nottingham from 1841 to 1958.-History:It was designed by the architect Henry Isaac Stevens....
A third St. John the Baptist's Church, Leenside, Nottingham
St. John the Baptist's Church, Leenside, Nottingham
The church of St. John the Baptist, Leenside, Nottingham was opened in 1844 as a parish church in the Church of England. It was destroyed in 1941.-History:...
was begun during his incumbency but he resigned before its completion.
He died on 13 August 1865.
Further reading
- Bowen, M. W. The Anglican Church in the Industrialised Town: St. Mary's Parish, Nottingham 1770-1884 M.Phil., University of Nottingham, October 1997