Life

He was the son of Adrian Gardiner, apothecary, of Nottingham

Nottingham

Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...

. He entered Emmanuel College, Cambridge

Emmanuel College, Cambridge

Emmanuel College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.The college was founded in 1584 by Sir Walter Mildmay on the site of a Dominican friary...

, in 1649, taking the degrees of B.A. 1652-3, M.A. 1656, and D.D. 1669. On the Restoration

English Restoration

The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...

 he obtained favour at court, became chaplain to the Duke of Monmouth, chaplain to the guards, and received the crown living of Epworth, Lincolnshire.

In 1671 he received the sub-deanery of Lincoln from Thomas Fuller, replacing Robert Mapletoft

Robert Mapletoft

Robert Mapletoft was an English churchman and academic, Master of Pembroke College, Cambridge and Dean of Ely.-Life:He was son of Hugh Mapletoft, rector of North Thoresby, Lincolnshire, was born there on 25 January 1609, and educated at the grammar school at Louth. He was admitted a sizar of...

. While holding this office he rebuilt his official residence, which had been reduced to ruins by the parliamentary forces on the storming of the castle and close in 1644. On the death of Michael Honywood in 1681, he was recommended for the deanery of Lincoln by Archbishop William Sancroft

William Sancroft

William Sancroft was the 79th Archbishop of Canterbury.- Life :Sancroft was born at Ufford Hall in Fressingfield, Suffolk, son of Francis Sandcroft and Margaret Sandcroft née Butcher...

, but unsuccessfully, it having been promised to Daniel Brevint

Daniel Brevint

Daniel Brevint or Brevin was Dean of Lincoln from 1682 to 1695.-Life:Brevint was from the parish of Saint John, Jersey, Channel Islands and was the son and grandson of clergymen. He studied, like his father before him, at the Protestant University of Saumur, and graduated with a MA in 1634...

. On the serious illness of the latter in 1685, Gardiner applied to the archbishop for his support for the anticipated vacancy, which, however, did not occur till 1695.

Meanwhile, on the translation of Thomas Tenison

Thomas Tenison

Thomas Tenison was an English church leader, Archbishop of Canterbury from 1694 until his death. During his primacy, he crowned two British monarchs.-Life:...

 from the see of Lincoln to that of Canterbury, Tenison successfully recommended his friend Gardiner as his successor, and Gardiner's was the first consecration performed by the new archbishop, 10 March 1695. His ten years' episcopate was uneventful. A Whig and a low churchman, he voted steadily with his party. He died at his house in Dean's Yard, Westminster, 1 March 1705. He left three sons, James Gardiner the younger

James Gardiner the Younger

James Gardiner the younger was an Anglican sub-dean of Lincoln, England, as well as a writer and translator.-Early life:Gardiner was the son of James Gardiner, who was Bishop of Lincoln from 1695 to 1705. He entered Emmanuel College, Cambridge in 1695. He proceeded B.A. as sixteenth wrangler in...

, William, and Charles, and two daughters.

Works

He was an antiquary and assisted Simon Patrick

Simon Patrick

Simon Patrick was an English theologian and bishop.-Life:He was born at Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, on 8 September 1626, and attended Boston Grammar School. He entered Queens College, Cambridge, in 1644, and after taking orders in 1651 became successively chaplain to Sir Walter St. John and vicar...

, when dean of Peterborough, in deciphering and transcribing the charters and muniments of the abbey. He also published twenty sermons left in manuscript by William Outram, of which a second edition was printed in 1797.