Henry Godolphin
Encyclopedia
Henry Godolphin was an English Provost of Eton College
and Dean of St. Paul's Cathedral, a position in which he clashed with Sir Christopher Wren in the period when the new cathedral had reached the finishing touches.
, by Dorothy, second daughter of Sir Henry Berkeley of Yarlington
, Somerset
, and was born at Godolphin House, Cornwall
, on 15 August 1648. He was admitted to Eton 8 October 1665. He matriculated from Wadham College, Oxford
, 30 August 1664, and took his B.A. in 1668. In the same year he was elected a fellow of All Souls' College, where he proceeded M.A. 1672, and B.D. and D.D. 11 July 1685.
He was made a fellow of Eton College 14 April 1677, and by royal mandate was nominated Provost of the college 16 October 1695, and instituted 30 October. At Eton he was a benefactor to the school, contributing towards the expense of altering the chapel, and erecting at his own cost a copper statue of the founder, Henry VI
, in the schoolyard.
He was nominated Sneating prebendary of St. Paul's, London, 13 November 1683, holding the prebend until his death. After the death of William Sherlock
he was elected Dean of St. Paul's, 14 July 1707, and installed on 18 July, resigning the deanery in October 1726, when he returned to the duties of the provostship of Eton. During his tenure of office at St. Paul's he had been on the Rebuilding Commission, representing with John Younger and William Stanley
the rising generation of the cathedral chapter. On matters of detail there were constant disagreements from 1707 to 1711, when the Commission was wound up, with the imperious Sir Christopher Wren. Eventually Wren used the influence of the Queen to rid himself of the Commission, and there were polemics published aimed at Wren, now in his early eighties; but on the accession of George I of England the Commission was set up again. There were more arguments about the dome, with a balustrade or railing proposed, Godolphin arguing for the latter. Wren's career ended on an unsatisfactory note of bitterness and criticism.
Godolphin died at Windsor
, 29 January 1733, and was buried in Eton Chapel.
; she died 30 June 1743. His son, Sir Francis Godolphin, succeeded his cousin Francis Godolphin
as second Baron Godolphin of Helston in 1766; on his death in 1785 the title became extinct. His daughter Mary married William Owen of Porkington.
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and Dean of St. Paul's Cathedral, a position in which he clashed with Sir Christopher Wren in the period when the new cathedral had reached the finishing touches.
Life
He was fourth son of Sir Francis Godolphin, and younger brother of Sidney Godolphin, 1st Earl of GodolphinSidney Godolphin, 1st Earl of Godolphin
Sir Sidney Godolphin, 1st Earl of Godolphin, KG, PC was a leading English politician of the late 17th and early 18th centuries...
, by Dorothy, second daughter of Sir Henry Berkeley of Yarlington
Yarlington
Yarlington is a village and civil parish, near the source of the River Cam, in the English county of Somerset.Administratively, Yarlington shares a parish council with nearby North Cadbury and forms part of the district of South Somerset....
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, and was born at Godolphin House, Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, on 15 August 1648. He was admitted to Eton 8 October 1665. He matriculated from Wadham College, Oxford
Wadham College, Oxford
Wadham College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, located at the southern end of Parks Road in central Oxford. It was founded by Nicholas and Dorothy Wadham, wealthy Somerset landowners, during the reign of King James I...
, 30 August 1664, and took his B.A. in 1668. In the same year he was elected a fellow of All Souls' College, where he proceeded M.A. 1672, and B.D. and D.D. 11 July 1685.
He was made a fellow of Eton College 14 April 1677, and by royal mandate was nominated Provost of the college 16 October 1695, and instituted 30 October. At Eton he was a benefactor to the school, contributing towards the expense of altering the chapel, and erecting at his own cost a copper statue of the founder, Henry VI
Henry VI of England
Henry VI was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. Until 1437, his realm was governed by regents. Contemporaneous accounts described him as peaceful and pious, not suited for the violent dynastic civil wars, known as the Wars...
, in the schoolyard.
He was nominated Sneating prebendary of St. Paul's, London, 13 November 1683, holding the prebend until his death. After the death of William Sherlock
William Sherlock
Not to be confused with William Sherlock William Sherlock was an English church leader.-Life:He was born at Southwark, and was educated at St. Saviour's School and Eton, and then at Peterhouse, Cambridge. In 1669 he became rector of St George's, Botolph Lane, London, and in 1681 he was appointed a...
he was elected Dean of St. Paul's, 14 July 1707, and installed on 18 July, resigning the deanery in October 1726, when he returned to the duties of the provostship of Eton. During his tenure of office at St. Paul's he had been on the Rebuilding Commission, representing with John Younger and William Stanley
William Stanley (dean)
William Stanley was an English churchman and college head, Master of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, Archdeacon of London and Dean of St Asaph.-Life:...
the rising generation of the cathedral chapter. On matters of detail there were constant disagreements from 1707 to 1711, when the Commission was wound up, with the imperious Sir Christopher Wren. Eventually Wren used the influence of the Queen to rid himself of the Commission, and there were polemics published aimed at Wren, now in his early eighties; but on the accession of George I of England the Commission was set up again. There were more arguments about the dome, with a balustrade or railing proposed, Godolphin arguing for the latter. Wren's career ended on an unsatisfactory note of bitterness and criticism.
Godolphin died at Windsor
Windsor, Berkshire
Windsor is an affluent suburban town and unparished area in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England. It is widely known as the site of Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the British Royal Family....
, 29 January 1733, and was buried in Eton Chapel.
Life
He married Mary, daughter of Colonel Sidney, son of John GodolphinJohn Godolphin
John Godolphin was an English jurist and writer, an admiralty judge under the Commonweath.- Life :The second son of John Godolphin, who was younger brother of Sir William Godolphin , he was born at Scilly, 29 November 1617. He became a commoner of Gloucester Hall, Oxford, in the Michaelmas term...
; she died 30 June 1743. His son, Sir Francis Godolphin, succeeded his cousin Francis Godolphin
Francis Godolphin
Francis Godolphin is the name of:*Sir Francis Godolphin , governor of the Isles of Scilly, builder of Star Castle*Sir Francis Godolphin , younger son of the above, MP for St Ives and Cornwall...
as second Baron Godolphin of Helston in 1766; on his death in 1785 the title became extinct. His daughter Mary married William Owen of Porkington.