John Battely
Encyclopedia
John Battely (1646–1708) was an English antiquary and clergyman, Archdeacon of Canterbury 1688–1708. He was the author of two antiquarian works published after his death: Antiquitates Rutupinae (‘Antiquities of Richborough’) and Antiquitates S. Edmundi Burgi ad Annum MCCLXXII Perductae (‘Antiquities of St. Edmundsbury to 1272’). John Battely was the brother of Nicholas Battely
, who edited William Somner
’s Cantuaria sacra, the first account of the antiquities of Canterbury
.
John Battely was born on 11 November 1646 in the Parish of St. James, Bury St. Edmunds
. His father, Nicholas Battely, was an apothecary. After his education at the King Edward VI Grammar School, Bury St. Edmunds, he was admitted to Trinity College, Cambridge
in 1662 (B.A. 1665-6; Fellow, 1668; M.A. 1669; D.D. 1684).
He was ordained at Ely
in 1675 and became domestic chaplain to Archbishop Sancroft
and subsequently to Archbishop Tillotson
.
Battely was Rector of Hunton in Norfolk 1682–1684, and on 19 November 1684 he became Rector of Adisham in Kent. It was probably at this time that Battely began his research at Richborough Castle. In 1687, however, Battely returned to East Anglia. He was made Archdeacon of Suffolk, which entitled him to a stall at Norwich Cathedral
and gave him nominal pastoral oversight of his native county. He was installed as Archdeacon of Canterbury
on 24 March 1688 and became Master of the Eastbridge Hospital
in the same year. On 5 November 1688 (the same day William of Orange
landed at Torbay), he became a canon of Canterbury Cathedral
(Stall I), and on 10 November he subscribed to the Articles of Religion. John Battely died on 10 October 1708 and his papers were inherited by his nephew Oliver Battely. In 1711 Oliver published the work on Richborough, before co-operating with Sir James Burrough to print the work on Bury St. Edmunds in 1745.
Nicholas Battely
Nicholas Battely was an English clergyman and antiquary, editor of William Somner’s Cantuaria Sacra and brother of John Battely.-Life:...
, who edited William Somner
William Somner
William Somner was an English antiquarian scholar, the author of the first dictionary of the Anglo-Saxon language.-Life:He was baptised in the church of St. Margaret, Canterbury, on 5 November 1598, but according to a statement of his widow and surviving relatives, the date of his birth was 30...
’s Cantuaria sacra, the first account of the antiquities of Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
.
John Battely was born on 11 November 1646 in the Parish of St. James, Bury St. Edmunds
Bury St. Edmunds
Bury St Edmunds is a market town in the county of Suffolk, England, and formerly the county town of West Suffolk. It is the main town in the borough of St Edmundsbury and known for the ruined abbey near the town centre...
. His father, Nicholas Battely, was an apothecary. After his education at the King Edward VI Grammar School, Bury St. Edmunds, he was admitted to 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...
in 1662 (B.A. 1665-6; Fellow, 1668; M.A. 1669; D.D. 1684).
He was ordained at Ely
Ely, Cambridgeshire
Ely is a cathedral city in Cambridgeshire, England, 14 miles north-northeast of Cambridge and about by road from London. It is built on a Lower Greensand island, which at a maximum elevation of is the highest land in the Fens...
in 1675 and became domestic chaplain to Archbishop Sancroft
William Sancroft
William Sancroft was the 79th Archbishop of Canterbury.- Life :Sancroft was born at Ufford Hall in Fressingfield, Suffolk, son of Francis Sandcroft and Margaret Sandcroft née Butcher...
and subsequently to Archbishop Tillotson
John Tillotson
John Tillotson was an Archbishop of Canterbury .-Curate and rector:Tillotson was the son of a Puritan clothier at Haughend, Sowerby, Yorkshire. He entered as a pensioner of Clare Hall, Cambridge, in 1647, graduated in 1650 and was made fellow of his college in 1651...
.
Battely was Rector of Hunton in Norfolk 1682–1684, and on 19 November 1684 he became Rector of Adisham in Kent. It was probably at this time that Battely began his research at Richborough Castle. In 1687, however, Battely returned to East Anglia. He was made Archdeacon of Suffolk, which entitled him to a stall at Norwich Cathedral
Norwich Cathedral
Norwich Cathedral is a cathedral located in Norwich, Norfolk, dedicated to the Holy and Undivided Trinity. Formerly a Catholic church, it has belonged to the Church of England since the English Reformation....
and gave him nominal pastoral oversight of his native county. He was installed as Archdeacon of Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
on 24 March 1688 and became Master of the Eastbridge Hospital
The Hospital of St Thomas, Canterbury
The Hospital of St Thomas the Martyr of Eastbridge was founded in the 12th century in Canterbury, England, to provide overnight accommodation for poor pilgrims to the shrine of St Thomas Beckett....
in the same year. On 5 November 1688 (the same day William of Orange
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
landed at Torbay), he became a canon of Canterbury Cathedral
Canterbury Cathedral
Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, Kent, is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England and forms part of a World Heritage Site....
(Stall I), and on 10 November he subscribed to the Articles of Religion. John Battely died on 10 October 1708 and his papers were inherited by his nephew Oliver Battely. In 1711 Oliver published the work on Richborough, before co-operating with Sir James Burrough to print the work on Bury St. Edmunds in 1745.
Sources
- John Battely (ed. Oliver Battely), Antiquitates Rutupinae (Oxford, 1745)
- John Battely (ed. Oliver Battely), Antiquitates S. Edmundi Burgi ad Annum MCCXXII Perductae (Oxford, 1745)