Henry Cantrell
Encyclopedia
Henry Cantrell was a high-church Church of England
clergyman and religious controversialist.
(where a relation, the Rev. Thomas Cantrell, 1649–1698, was headmaster) and Emmanuel College, Cambridge
. He matriculated at Cambridge in 1701, graduated BA in 1705 and MA in 1710.
in 1709. In 1712, the corporation of Derby
gave him the vicarage of St Alkmund, Derby, a living he kept for more than sixty stormy years, until his death at the age of eighty-nine.
Cantrell had a quarrelsome nature, and even before his induction as Vicar of St Alkmund's parish he fell out with its vestry, insisting on exercising his right to appoint one of the two churchwardens for the parish. Within months of his appointment, he was preaching against non-conformity, claiming that:
He refused to bury children baptised by dissenters, which led to a furious controversy in Derby. In any event, Cantrell's bishop refused to support his stance.
One of Cantrell's best-known works was a scholarly dissertation denying the claim by the Presbyterian minister Ferdinando Shaw that King Charles I
had been baptised only by a Presbyterian and never by an Episcopal
minister.
Cantrell was often embattled in defending his clerical rights, including the right to plant trees in the churchyard, to control the contents of the parish register, and so forth, generally claiming the matter in hand was about an important principle and part of a wider defence of clerical rights. In 1729, he defeated the Corporation of Derby (the patrons of his living) in a legal battle over the parish's small tithes, which the Corporation had taken away from him for insulting the Mayor of Derby
.
When his battles led to the forced sale of much of his library, he was offered the vicarage of Brecon
through the influence of Dr Henry Sacheverell
, but declined it.
When Cantrell granted a licence for the secret marriage of Annabella Wilmot of Osmaston
, Derbyshire, this led to the Ecclesiastical Courts Bill 1733.
Doubt has been cast on the claim in William Hutton
's History of Derby (1791) that at the time of the Jacobite rising
in 1745 Cantrell was a Jacobite and drank the health of the Old Pretender
.
and Normanton
, Derbyshire. On 2 August 1732, Henry Cantrell married secondly Jane Cradock, a daughter of Joseph Cradock, Rector of Markfield
, Leicestershire.
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 and religious controversialist.
Education
The son of Simon Cantrell (1658–1744), he was educated at Derby SchoolDerby School
Derby School was a school in Derby in the English Midlands from 1160 to 1989. It had an almost continuous history of education of over eight centuries. For most of that time it was a grammar school for boys. The school became co-educational and comprehensive in 1974 and was closed in 1989...
(where a relation, the Rev. Thomas Cantrell, 1649–1698, was headmaster) and Emmanuel College, Cambridge
Emmanuel College, Cambridge
Emmanuel College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.The college was founded in 1584 by Sir Walter Mildmay on the site of a Dominican friary...
. He matriculated at Cambridge in 1701, graduated BA in 1705 and MA in 1710.
Career summary
Cantrell was ordained a priest at LichfieldLichfield
Lichfield is a cathedral city, civil parish and district in Staffordshire, England. One of eight civil parishes with city status in England, Lichfield is situated roughly north of Birmingham...
in 1709. In 1712, the corporation of Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
gave him the vicarage of St Alkmund, Derby, a living he kept for more than sixty stormy years, until his death at the age of eighty-nine.
Cantrell had a quarrelsome nature, and even before his induction as Vicar of St Alkmund's parish he fell out with its vestry, insisting on exercising his right to appoint one of the two churchwardens for the parish. Within months of his appointment, he was preaching against non-conformity, claiming that:
He refused to bury children baptised by dissenters, which led to a furious controversy in Derby. In any event, Cantrell's bishop refused to support his stance.
One of Cantrell's best-known works was a scholarly dissertation denying the claim by the Presbyterian minister Ferdinando Shaw that King 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...
had been baptised only by a Presbyterian and never by an Episcopal
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
minister.
Cantrell was often embattled in defending his clerical rights, including the right to plant trees in the churchyard, to control the contents of the parish register, and so forth, generally claiming the matter in hand was about an important principle and part of a wider defence of clerical rights. In 1729, he defeated the Corporation of Derby (the patrons of his living) in a legal battle over the parish's small tithes, which the Corporation had taken away from him for insulting the Mayor of Derby
Mayor of Derby
Names of the Mayors for the Borough of Derby from the first that was chosen on the 3 July 1638 by the king's charter then granted to the town the two last bailiffs were the two first mayors Mr Mellor being proclaimed the 3rd day of July to be the mayor until Michaelmas and twelve months after but...
.
When his battles led to the forced sale of much of his library, he was offered the vicarage of Brecon
Brecon
Brecon is a long-established market town and community in southern Powys, Mid Wales, with a population of 7,901. It was the county town of the historic county of Brecknockshire; although its role as such was eclipsed with the formation of Powys, it remains an important local centre...
through the influence of Dr Henry Sacheverell
Henry Sacheverell
Henry Sacheverell was an English High Church clergyman and politician.-Early life:The son of Joshua Sacheverell, rector of St Peter's, Marlborough,...
, but declined it.
When Cantrell granted a licence for the secret marriage of Annabella Wilmot of Osmaston
Osmaston
Osmaston may refer to:Placenames*Osmaston, Derby, England** where Osmaston Hall was*Osmaston, Derbyshire Dales** where Osmaston Manor wasPeople* Bertram Beresford Osmaston CIE...
, Derbyshire, this led to the Ecclesiastical Courts Bill 1733.
Doubt has been cast on the claim in William Hutton
William Hutton (Birmingham historian)
William Hutton was a poet and the first significant historian of Birmingham, England.-Biography:...
's History of Derby (1791) that at the time of the Jacobite rising
Jacobite rising
The Jacobite Risings were a series of uprisings, rebellions, and wars in Great Britain and Ireland occurring between 1688 and 1746. The uprisings were aimed at returning James VII of Scotland and II of England, and later his descendants of the House of Stuart, to the throne after he was deposed by...
in 1745 Cantrell was a Jacobite and drank the health of the Old Pretender
James Francis Edward Stuart
James Francis Edward, Prince of Wales was the son of the deposed James II of England...
.
Works
- The Invalidity of the Lay-Baptisms of Dissenting Teachers, Prov'd from Scripture and Antiquity (1714, in reply to the Rev. Ferdinando Shaw's Validity of Baptism Administred by Dissenting Ministers (1713)
- The Royal Martyr a True Christian, or, A Confutation of a late Assertion, viz. that King Charles I had only the lay-baptism of a Presbyterian-teacher
- Commonplace book (manuscript)
Family
Cantrell first wife, Constance, was born in 1695 or 1696 and died on 24 May 1725. Their eldest surviving son became the Rev. William Cantrell (1716–1787), Rector of Stamford, LincolnshireStamford, Lincolnshire
Stamford is a town and civil parish within the South Kesteven district of the county of Lincolnshire, England. It is approximately to the north of London, on the east side of the A1 road to York and Edinburgh and on the River Welland...
and Normanton
Normanton, Derby City
Normanton is a southern suburb of the city of Derby in Derbyshire, England, situated approximately two miles south of the city centre. Neighbouring suburbs include Littleover and Pear Tree.-History:...
, Derbyshire. On 2 August 1732, Henry Cantrell married secondly Jane Cradock, a daughter of Joseph Cradock, Rector of Markfield
Markfield
Markfield is a commuter village sitting within both the National Forest and Charnwood Forest and in the Hinckley and Bosworth district of Leicestershire, England. The settlement dates back to at least the time of the Norman conquest and is mentioned in the Domesday Book under the name...
, Leicestershire.