Rev. Henry Richards was a clergyman and academic administrator at the University of Oxford

University of Oxford

The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...

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Richards was born in Tawstock

Tawstock

Tawstock is a village and civil parish in North Devon in the English county of Devon. It has a population of 2,093.-Parish Church:St Peter's church is, unusually for Devon, a church largely of the 14th century. The plan is cruciform and the site is in the former park of the Earls of Bath...

, a village in north Devon

Devon

Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...

, southwesr England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

. He was educated at Barnstable

Barnstable

Barnstable may refer to:Places*Barnstable, Massachusetts, a US city*Barnstable , Massachusetts, a village within the city of Barnstable...

 School and Exeter College, Oxford

Exeter College, Oxford

Exeter College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England and the fourth oldest college of the University. The main entrance is on the east side of Turl Street...

 from Michaelmas Term

Michaelmas term

Michaelmas term is the first academic term of the academic years of the following British and Irish universities:*University of Cambridge*University of Oxford*University of St...

 1763, where he gained a BA degree. On 30 June 1763, he was elected as a Fellow at Exeter College. He was awarded a Master of Arts degree on 29 April 1770 and a Bachelor of Divinity

Bachelor of Divinity

In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology or, rarely, religious studies....

 on 9 November 1781. Later he was awarded a Doctor of Divinity

Doctor of Divinity

Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....

 degree.

On 13 March 1794, Richards became Rector at Bushey

Bushey

Bushey is a town in the Hertsmere borough of Hertfordshire in the East of England. Bushey Heath is situated to the south east of Bushey on the boundary with the London Borough of Harrow.-History:...

, Hertfordshire

Hertfordshire

Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...

, within the Diocese of London

Diocese of London

The Anglican Diocese of London forms part of the Province of Canterbury in England.Historically the diocese covered a large area north of the Thames and bordered the dioceses of Norwich and Lincoln to the north and west. The present diocese covers and 17 London boroughs, covering most of Greater...

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On 23 July 1797, he was elected Rector (head) of Exeter College, a post he held until his death on 19 December 1807.
While Rector, Richards was also Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University from October 1806 until his death in 1807.
In accordance with his Will, he was interred in the chapel at Exeter College and left much of his property to the College.