John Prideaux Lightfoot (23 March 1803 – 23 March 1887) was an English clergyman who served as the rector of

Exeter College, Oxford Exeter College (in full: The Rector and Scholars of Exeter College in the University of Oxford) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, and the fourth-oldest college of the university. The college was founde ...

, from 18 March 1854 until his death and as

vice-chancellor A vice-chancellor (commonly called a VC) serves as the chief executive of a university in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Kenya, other Commonwealth of Nati ...

of Oxford University from 1862 to 1866. He was the president of the Oxford Architectural Society (later the

Oxfordshire Architectural and Historical Society The Oxfordshire Architectural and Historical Society (OAHS) has existed in one form or another since at least 1839, although with its current name only since 1972.

) from November 1854 to November 1855. John Prideaux Lightfoot was born on 23 March 1803 at

Crediton Crediton is a town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the Mid Devon district of Devon, England. It stands on the A377 road, A377 Exeter to Barnstaple road at the junction with the A3072 road to Tiverton, Devon, Tiverton, north w ...

, Devon, England. He was the eldest son of Nicholas Lightfoot (1772–1847) and his wife Bridget Prideaux. Lightfoot married Elizabeth Ann Le Blanc on 15 July 1835 at

St Luke's Church, Chelsea The Parish Church of St Luke, Chelsea, is an Church of England, Anglican church (building), church, on Sydney Street, Chelsea, London, Chelsea, London SW3, just off the King's Road. Ecclesiastically it is in the Deanery of Chelsea, part of the D ...

; they had eight children. His first wife died 21 November 1860 at

Oxford Oxford () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town. The city is home to the University of Oxford, the List of oldest universities in continuou ...

, aged 50. He was married a second time on 7January 1863 to Louisa, only daughter of Sir George Best Robinson, 2nd Baronet, widow of Capt. C. R. G. Douglas, B.N.I. They had one daughter. Lightfoot succeeded Joseph Loscombe Richards as rector of Exeter, or head of the college, while Sir

George Gilbert Scott Sir George Gilbert Scott (13 July 1811 – 27 March 1878), largely known as Sir Gilbert Scott, was a prolific English Gothic Revival architect, chiefly associated with the design, building and renovation of churches and cathedrals, although he ...

's proposal for a new chapel inspired by the Sainte Chapelle in Paris was under consideration. The building programme during Lightfoot's tenure also included the

Gothic revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an Architectural style, architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half ...

library of 1856 and new rector's lodgings in the Georgian style (1857). In 1886, Lightfoot commissioned the Adoration of the Magi tapestry from

Edward Burne-Jones Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, 1st Baronet, (; 28 August 183317 June 1898) was an English painter and designer associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood's style and subject matter. Burne-Jones worked with William Morris as a founding part ...

and

William Morris William Morris (24 March 1834 – 3 October 1896) was an English textile designer, poet, artist, writer, and socialist activist associated with the British Arts and Crafts movement. He was a major contributor to the revival of traditiona ...

, both alumni of Exeter, to be hung in the chapel. The completed tapestry was presented to the college in 1890, three years after Prideaux's death at the rectory at Exeter on 23 March 1887.Stephen Wildman: ''Edward Burne-Jones: Victorian Artist-Dreamer'',

Metropolitan Museum of Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art, colloquially referred to as the Met, is an Encyclopedic museum, encyclopedic art museum in New York City. By floor area, it is the List of largest museums, third-largest museum in the world and the List of larg ...

, 1998, , pp. 293–294

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lightfoot, John Prideaux 1803 births 1887 deaths People from Crediton 19th-century English Anglican priests Rectors of Exeter College, Oxford Vice-chancellors of the University of Oxford