John Lynch (clergyman)
Encyclopedia
John Lynch was an 18th-century Church of England
clergyman. He was Dean of Canterbury
from 1734 to 1760.
Lynch was born on 5 December 1697 at Staple
(Kent), son of John Lynch (d. 1733) and his wife, Sarah, daughter of Francis Head of Rochester.
He was educated at the King's School, Canterbury, and then St John's College, Cambridge
, (1714; BA 1718; MA 1721; DD 1728).
He was ordained deacon in Norwich (1721).
In 1723 his patron, Archbishop William Wake
, appointed him to the Chapter of Canterbury Cathedral
(Stall IV) and as rector of All Hallows, Bread Street, London.
He was rector of Sundridge
(Kent) from 1725 to 1733 and a Chaplain to the King from 1727 to 1734.
He married the archbishop's daughter, Mary, in 1728 and quickly received further preferment, including appointment as Master of the Hospital of St Cross
, Winchester, rector of All Hallows the Great (London) (1730-2), rector of Ickham
, Kent (1731–60), rector of Eynesford, Kent (1731–60), rector of Bishopsbourne
, Kent (1731–60), Master of Harbledown Hospital
, Canterbury (1731) and Treasurer of Salisbury Cathedral
(1735–60).
On the death of Elias Sydall
, he was appointed Dean of Canterbury
.
Dean Lynch was criticised in his lifetime as a notorious pluralist. An anonymous satirical pamphlet (The Life of Dean L---nch, 1748) was published attacking him.
In exoneration, H.J. Todd in his Some account of the deans of Canterbury (1793) comments: 'Large as his Income may appear, yet his expenses were equal
to his revenues. On his Prebendal and Deanery Houses he had expended no
less than 3000£. And his private charities were known to equal his public spirit'.
Todd notes that Lynch had been an early supporter of the Society for the Support of the Widows and
Orphans of the Clergy.
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...
clergyman. He was Dean of Canterbury
Dean of Canterbury
The Dean of Canterbury is the head of the Chapter of the Cathedral of Christ Church, Canterbury, England. The office of dean originated after the English Reformation, and its precursor office was the prior of the cathedral-monastery...
from 1734 to 1760.
Lynch was born on 5 December 1697 at Staple
Staple, Kent
Staple is a small village and civil parish in east Kent. It lies southwest of the nearby village of Ash and the town of Sandwichand east of Canterbury.-History:...
(Kent), son of John Lynch (d. 1733) and his wife, Sarah, daughter of Francis Head of Rochester.
He was educated at the King's School, Canterbury, and then St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's alumni include nine Nobel Prize winners, six Prime Ministers, three archbishops, at least two princes, and three Saints....
, (1714; BA 1718; MA 1721; DD 1728).
He was ordained deacon in Norwich (1721).
In 1723 his patron, Archbishop William Wake
William Wake
William Wake was a priest in the Church of England and Archbishop of Canterbury from 1716 until his death in 1737.-Life:...
, appointed him to the Chapter of Canterbury Cathedral
Canterbury Cathedral
Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, Kent, is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England and forms part of a World Heritage Site....
(Stall IV) and as rector of All Hallows, Bread Street, London.
He was rector of Sundridge
Sundridge
Sundridge may mean:* Sundridge, Ontario, a village in Ontario, Canada* Sundridge, Kent, a village in Kent, England* Sundridge, London, suburb in the London Borough of Bromley southeast London....
(Kent) from 1725 to 1733 and a Chaplain to the King from 1727 to 1734.
He married the archbishop's daughter, Mary, in 1728 and quickly received further preferment, including appointment as Master of the Hospital of St Cross
Hospital of St Cross
The Hospital of St Cross and Almshouse of Noble Poverty is a medieval almshouse in Winchester, England, founded between 1133 and 1136. It is the oldest charitable institution in the United Kingdom...
, Winchester, rector of All Hallows the Great (London) (1730-2), rector of Ickham
Ickham
Ickham is a village within the civil parish of Ickham and Well, five miles east of Canterbury in Kent, South East England.The village is centred around a single road with many old and well preserved houses, with the 13th-century Parish Church of St John the Evangelist in the midst...
, Kent (1731–60), rector of Eynesford, Kent (1731–60), rector of Bishopsbourne
Bishopsbourne
Bishopsbourne is a small village in Kent, England. It lies in the Nailbourne valley some from Canterbury and about from Dover. It has a public house, The Mermaid, built in 1861, and a church, St Mary's, with 14th-century wall paintings. Author Joseph Conrad lived here and his house, "Oswalds",...
, Kent (1731–60), Master of Harbledown Hospital
Harbledown
Harbledown is a village to the west of Canterbury, Kent in England, now contiguous with the city, although still a separate village. It forms part of the civil parish of Harbledown and Rough Common. The High Street is a conservation area with many fascinating colloquial buildings either side of a...
, Canterbury (1731) and Treasurer of Salisbury Cathedral
Salisbury Cathedral
Salisbury Cathedral, formally known as the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is an Anglican cathedral in Salisbury, England, considered one of the leading examples of Early English architecture....
(1735–60).
On the death of Elias Sydall
Elias Sydall
Elias Sydall was an English bishop of St David's and bishop of Gloucester.-Life:He was the son of a glover of Norwich. He matriculated at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge in 1688, graduating B.A. in 1692 and M.A. in 1695. He became D.D. in 1705. He was a Fellow of Corpus from 1696 to 1703.He...
, he was appointed Dean of Canterbury
Dean of Canterbury
The Dean of Canterbury is the head of the Chapter of the Cathedral of Christ Church, Canterbury, England. The office of dean originated after the English Reformation, and its precursor office was the prior of the cathedral-monastery...
.
Dean Lynch was criticised in his lifetime as a notorious pluralist. An anonymous satirical pamphlet (The Life of Dean L---nch, 1748) was published attacking him.
In exoneration, H.J. Todd in his Some account of the deans of Canterbury (1793) comments: 'Large as his Income may appear, yet his expenses were equal
to his revenues. On his Prebendal and Deanery Houses he had expended no
less than 3000£. And his private charities were known to equal his public spirit'.
Todd notes that Lynch had been an early supporter of the Society for the Support of the Widows and
Orphans of the Clergy.