William Alexander (bishop)
Encyclopedia
William Alexander was an Irish
cleric in the Church of Ireland
.
on the 13 April 1824, the third child of Rev Robert Alexander. He was educated at Tonbridge School
and Brasenose College, Oxford
.
After holding several livings in Ireland
he was made bishop of Derry and Raphoe
in 1867. He was the last bishop to sit in the House of Lords
before the disestablishment of the Church of Ireland in 1871 by the Irish Church Act 1869. In 1896 he became Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland.
He gave the Bampton Lectures
in 1876. An eloquent preacher and the author of numerous theological works, including Primary Convictions, he is best known as a master of dignified and animated verse. His poems were collected in 1887 under the title of St Augustine's Holiday and other Poems.
His wife, Cecil Frances Alexander, wrote some tracts in connection with the Oxford Movement
. She is known as the author of hymns such as Once in Royal David's City
, All Things Bright and Beautiful
and many other well known hymns. They both lived in Milltown House, Strabane. The house is now used as a school, Strabane Grammar School
.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
cleric in the Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
.
Life
He was born in DerryDerry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
on the 13 April 1824, the third child of Rev Robert Alexander. He was educated at Tonbridge School
Tonbridge School
Tonbridge School is a British boys' independent school for both boarding and day pupils in Tonbridge, Kent, founded in 1553 by Sir Andrew Judd . It is a member of the Eton Group, and has close links with the Worshipful Company of Skinners, one of the oldest London livery companies...
and Brasenose College, Oxford
Brasenose College, Oxford
Brasenose College, originally Brazen Nose College , is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. As of 2006, it has an estimated financial endowment of £98m...
.
After holding several livings in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
he was made bishop of Derry and Raphoe
Bishop of Derry and Raphoe
The Bishop of Derry and Raphoe is the Church of Ireland Ordinary of the united Diocese of Derry and Raphoe in the Province of Armagh.The united diocese has two Episcopal sees, one at St Columb's Cathedral, Derry in Northern Ireland, and the other at the Cathedral Church of St. Eunan, Raphoe in the...
in 1867. He was the last bishop to sit in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
before the disestablishment of the Church of Ireland in 1871 by the Irish Church Act 1869. In 1896 he became Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland.
He gave the Bampton Lectures
Bampton Lectures
The Bampton Lectures at the University of Oxford, England, were founded by a bequest of John Bampton,. They have taken place since 1780.They were a series of annual lectures; since the turn of the 20th century they have typically been biennial. They continue to concentrate on Christian theological...
in 1876. An eloquent preacher and the author of numerous theological works, including Primary Convictions, he is best known as a master of dignified and animated verse. His poems were collected in 1887 under the title of St Augustine's Holiday and other Poems.
His wife, Cecil Frances Alexander, wrote some tracts in connection with the Oxford Movement
Oxford Movement
The Oxford Movement was a movement of High Church Anglicans, eventually developing into Anglo-Catholicism. The movement, whose members were often associated with the University of Oxford, argued for the reinstatement of lost Christian traditions of faith and their inclusion into Anglican liturgy...
. She is known as the author of hymns such as Once in Royal David's City
Once In Royal David's City
Once In Royal David's City is a Christmas carol originally written as poem by Cecil Frances Alexander. The carol was first published in 1848 in Miss Cecil Humphreys' hymnbook Hymns for little Children. A year later, the English organist Henry John Gauntlett discovered the poem and set it to music...
, All Things Bright and Beautiful
All Things Bright and Beautiful
All Things Bright and Beautiful is an Anglican hymn, also popular with other Christian denominations.The piece can be sung to several melodies, in particular the 17th-century English melody "Royal Oak", adapted by Martin Shaw, and "Bright and Beautiful" by William Henry Monk...
and many other well known hymns. They both lived in Milltown House, Strabane. The house is now used as a school, Strabane Grammar School
Strabane Grammar School
Strabane Grammar School’’’ was a grammar school located just outside of Strabane, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It was within the Western Education and Library Board area. The school was officially closed on 30 June 2011 to make way for Strabane Academy, along with Strabane High...
.