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Christopher Wordsworth (Trinity)
Encyclopedia
Christopher Wordsworth was an English divine and scholar.
Born in Cockermouth
, Cumberland
, he was the youngest brother of the poet William Wordsworth
, and was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge
, where he became a fellow in 1798.
Twelve years later he received the degree of DD
. He took holy orders, and obtained successive preferments through the patronage of Charles Manners-Sutton
, Bishop of Norwich
, afterwards (1805) Archbishop of Canterbury
, to whose son Charles
(afterwards Speaker of the House of Commons
, and Viscount Canterbury
) he had been tutor. He had in 1802 attracted attention by his defence of Granville Sharp
's then novel canon "on the uses of the definitive article" in New Testament
textual criticism.
In 1810 he published an Ecclesiastical Biography in 6 volumes. On the death of Bishop Mansel
, in 1820, he was elected Master of Trinity
, and retained that position till 1841, when he resigned. He is regarded as the father of the modern "classical tripos," since he had, as vice-chancellor, originated in 1821 a proposal for a public examination in classics and divinity, which, though then rejected, bore fruit in 1822. Otherwise his mastership was undistinguished, and he was not a popular head with the college. He died on 1846-02-02, at Buxted
, Sussex
.
In his Who wrote Ikon Basilike? (1824), and in other writings, he advocated the claims of Charles I
to its authorship; and in 1836 he published, in 4 volumes, a work of Christian Institutes, selected from English divines. In 1804 he married Priscilla Lloyd (d. 1815), a sister of Charles Lamb's friend Charles Lloyd; and he had three sons: John (1805–1839), Charles
, and Christopher
.
Born in Cockermouth
Cockermouth
-History:The Romans created a fort at Derventio, now the adjoining village of Papcastle, to protect the river crossing, which had become located on a major route for troops heading towards Hadrian's Wall....
, Cumberland
Cumberland
Cumberland is a historic county of North West England, on the border with Scotland, from the 12th century until 1974. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974 and now forms part of Cumbria....
, he was the youngest brother of the poet William Wordsworth
William Wordsworth
William Wordsworth was a major English Romantic poet who, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, helped to launch the Romantic Age in English literature with the 1798 joint publication Lyrical Ballads....
, and was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, where he became a fellow in 1798.
Twelve years later he received the degree of DD
Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
. He took holy orders, and obtained successive preferments through the patronage of Charles Manners-Sutton
Charles Manners-Sutton
Charles Manners-Sutton was a priest in the Church of England who served as Archbishop of Canterbury from 1805 to 1828.-Life:...
, Bishop of Norwich
Bishop of Norwich
The Bishop of Norwich is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Norwich in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers most of the County of Norfolk and part of Suffolk. The see is in the City of Norwich where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided...
, afterwards (1805) Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
, to whose son Charles
Charles Manners-Sutton, 1st Viscount Canterbury
Charles Manners-Sutton, 1st Viscount Canterbury GCB, PC was a British Tory politician who served as Speaker of the House of Commons from 1817 to 1835.-Background and education:...
(afterwards Speaker of the House of Commons
Speaker of the British House of Commons
The Speaker of the House of Commons is the presiding officer of the House of Commons, the United Kingdom's lower chamber of Parliament. The current Speaker is John Bercow, who was elected on 22 June 2009, following the resignation of Michael Martin...
, and Viscount Canterbury
Viscount Canterbury
Viscount Canterbury, of the City of Canterbury, was a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1835 for the Tory politician Sir Charles Manners-Sutton, who had previously served as Speaker of the House of Commons. He was created Baron Bottesford, of Bottesford in the County of...
) he had been tutor. He had in 1802 attracted attention by his defence of Granville Sharp
Granville Sharp
Granville Sharp was one of the first English campaigners for the abolition of the slave trade. He also involved himself in trying to correct other social injustices. Sharp formulated the plan to settle blacks in Sierra Leone, and founded the St. George's Bay Company, a forerunner of the Sierra...
's then novel canon "on the uses of the definitive article" in New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
textual criticism.
In 1810 he published an Ecclesiastical Biography in 6 volumes. On the death of Bishop Mansel
William Lort Mansel
Bishop William Lort Mansel was an English churchman and Cambridge fellow. He was Master of Trinity College, Cambridge from 1798 to his death in 1820, and also Bishop of Bristol from 1808 to 1820.William Lort Mansel was the son of William Wogan Mansel of Pembroke...
, in 1820, he was elected Master of Trinity
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, and retained that position till 1841, when he resigned. He is regarded as the father of the modern "classical tripos," since he had, as vice-chancellor, originated in 1821 a proposal for a public examination in classics and divinity, which, though then rejected, bore fruit in 1822. Otherwise his mastership was undistinguished, and he was not a popular head with the college. He died on 1846-02-02, at Buxted
Buxted
Buxted is a village and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex in England. The parish is situated on the Weald, north of Uckfield; the settlements of Five Ash Down, Heron's Ghyll and High Hurstwood are included within its boundaries...
, Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
.
In his Who wrote Ikon Basilike? (1824), and in other writings, he advocated the claims of Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
to its authorship; and in 1836 he published, in 4 volumes, a work of Christian Institutes, selected from English divines. In 1804 he married Priscilla Lloyd (d. 1815), a sister of Charles Lamb's friend Charles Lloyd; and he had three sons: John (1805–1839), Charles
Charles Wordsworth
The Reverend Charles Wordsworth, M.A. was bishop of Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane in Scotland. He was a classical scholar, and taught at a public schools in England and Scotland...
, and Christopher
Christopher Wordsworth
Christopher Wordsworth was an English bishop and man of letters.-Life:Wordsworth was born in London, the youngest son of the Rev. Dr. Christopher Wordsworth, Master of Trinity and a nephew of the poet William Wordsworth...
.