Robert Wright (1560–1643) was an English

bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is c ...

, first holding the

see of Bristol The Diocese of Bristol is an ecclesiastical jurisdiction or diocese of the Church of England in the Province of Canterbury, England. It is based in the city of Bristol and covers South Gloucestershire and parts of north Wiltshire, as far east ...

and then the see of Lichfield and Coventry. He died at an episcopal palace, under siege in the

First English Civil War The First English Civil War took place in England and Wales from 1642 to 1646, and forms part of the 1639 to 1653 Wars of the Three Kingdoms. They include the Bishops' Wars, the Irish Confederate Wars, the Second English Civil War, the Anglo ...

Life

Wright was born of humble parentage in St Albans, Hertfordshire, in 1560, and probably attended the refounded free school there (now St Albans School), where preference was given to poor scholars of the borough. He matriculated at

Trinity College, Oxford (That which you wish to be secret, tell to nobody) , named_for = The Holy Trinity , established = , sister_college = Churchill College, Cambridge , president = Dame Hilary Boulding , location = Broad Street, Oxford OX1 3BH , coordinates ...

in 1574 at the age of 14, was elected to a scholarship in 1575, and graduated as a B.A. in 1580, becoming a fellow the next year. He proceeded to obtain an M.A. in 1584, a B.D. in 1592 and a D.D. in 1597. In 1601, Wright was made Canon Residentiary and Treasurer of Wells, a post he held until 1632. He was appointed chaplain to both

Queen Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen". El ...

and

James I James I may refer to: People *James I of Aragon (1208–1276) *James I of Sicily or James II of Aragon (1267–1327) *James I, Count of La Marche (1319–1362), Count of Ponthieu *James I, Count of Urgell (1321–1347) *James I of Cyprus (1334–13 ...

. In 1613 he was appointed the first warden of the newly established Wadham College, resigning three months later as the college required the warden to remain celibate, but Wright had obtained Royal dispensation to marry. A daughter, Hester was born soon after and went on to marry Sir Humphrey Style of Langley (Beckenham) and after his death in 1659 John Scott of Hayes Place (Kent).Abstracts of Prerogative of Canterbury Wills Vol iv 1646 p96 A son, Calvert, was born in 1620 and baptised at Sonning Church in Berkshire where Robert had been vicar since 1604. In 1623, he was appointed as

Bishop of Bristol A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ...

, and was later translated to the See of Lichfield and Coventry in 1632. He died at the seat of the Bishops of Lichfield,

Eccleshall Castle Eccleshall Castle is located in Eccleshall, Staffordshire, England (). It was originally built in the 13th century. It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and a Grade II* listed building. Origins The land was reputedly granted to St Chad, the mediev ...

in Staffordshire, in September 1643 but, as the castle was under siege by Parliamentarians at the time, could not be properly buried.

References

External links

Royal Berkshire History: Robert Wright
* D. J. Oldridge, 'Wright, Robert (1560–1643)'
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004

1560 births 1643 deaths Alumni of Trinity College, Oxford Bishops of Bristol Bishops of Lichfield People from St Albans 17th-century Church of England bishops People from Sonning 17th-century English clergy 16th-century English clergy Wardens of Wadham College, Oxford {{ChurchofEngland-bishop-stub