Richard Watson (bishop)
Encyclopedia
Rt Rev Richard Watson was an Anglican clergyman and academic, who served as the Bishop of Llandaff
from 1782 to 1816. He wrote some notable political pamphlets
.
He was born in Heversham
, Westmorland
(now Cumbria
), and educated at Heversham Grammar School and Trinity College, Cambridge
, on a scholarship endowed by Edward Wilson
. In 1759 he graduated as Second Wrangler, in 1760 became a fellow
of Trinity, and in 1762 received his MA. He went on to become a professor of chemistry
in 1764, and was elected a fellow of the Royal Society
in 1769 after publishing a paper on the solution of salts in Philosophical Transactions
.
Watson's religious career began when he became Regius professor
of divinity in 1771. In 1773, he married Dorothy Wilson, daughter of Edward Wilson of Dallam Tower and a descendant of the eponymous benefactor who had endowed Watson's scholarship. In 1774, he took up the position of prebendary
of Trinity College. He became archdeacon of Ely and rector
of Northwold
in 1779, leaving the Northwold post two years later to become rector of Knattoft. In 1782, he left all his previous appointments to take up the post of Bishop of Llandaff, which he held till his death in 1816. In 1788, he purchased the Calgarth estate in Troutbeck Bridge
, Windermere
, Westmoreland.
He contributed to the Revolution Controversy
, most notably in 1796 when he delivered his counterblast to Thomas Paine
's The Age of Reason
in An Apology for the Bible which he had "reason to believe, was of singular service in stopping that torrent of irreligion which had been excited by [Paine's] writings". In 1798 he published An Address to the People of Great Britain, which argued for national taxes to be raised to pay for the war against France and to reduce the national debt. Gilbert Wakefield
, a Unitarian
minister who taught at Warrington Academy
, responded with A Reply to Some Parts of the Bishop Llandaff's Address to the People of Great Britain, attacking the privileged position of the wealthy.
An autobiography Anecdotes of the life of Richard Watson, Bishop of Landaff was finished in 1814 and published posthumously in 1817.
He was buried at St. Martin's Church
in Windermere. One of his great, great, great grandsons, Reverend David Watson
(1933–84) of St. Michael le Belfrey
, became a renowned evangelical clergyman over a century after the bishop's death.
Bishop of Llandaff
The Bishop of Llandaff is the Ordinary of the Church in Wales Diocese of Llandaff.-Area of authority:The diocese covers most of the County of Glamorgan. The Bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul , in the village of Llandaff, just north-west of the City of...
from 1782 to 1816. He wrote some notable political pamphlets
Pamphlet
A pamphlet is an unbound booklet . It may consist of a single sheet of paper that is printed on both sides and folded in half, in thirds, or in fourths , or it may consist of a few pages that are folded in half and saddle stapled at the crease to make a simple book...
.
He was born in Heversham
Heversham
Heversham is a small village and civil parish in the South Lakeland district of Cumbria, England. It has a variety of recreational facilities, including tennis courts, bowling green, swimming pool and a playground...
, Westmorland
Westmorland
Westmorland is an area of North West England and one of the 39 historic counties of England. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974, after which the entirety of the county was absorbed into the new county of Cumbria.-Early history:...
(now Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
), and educated at Heversham Grammar School and 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...
, on a scholarship endowed by Edward Wilson
Edward Wilson
Edward Wilson may refer to:*Edward Adrian Wilson , English Antarctic explorer*E. O. Wilson, Edward Osborne Wilson, , American entomologist and biologist...
. In 1759 he graduated as Second Wrangler, in 1760 became a fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
of Trinity, and in 1762 received his MA. He went on to become a professor of chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
in 1764, and was elected a fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
in 1769 after publishing a paper on the solution of salts in Philosophical Transactions
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society
The Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society is a scientific journal published by the Royal Society of London. It was established in 1665, making it the first journal in the world exclusively devoted to science, and it has remained in continuous publication ever since, making it the world's...
.
Watson's religious career began when he became Regius professor
Regius Professor
Regius Professorships are "royal" professorships at the ancient universities of the United Kingdom and Ireland - namely Oxford, Cambridge, St Andrews, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Dublin. Each of the chairs was created by a monarch, and each appointment, save those at Dublin, is approved by the...
of divinity in 1771. In 1773, he married Dorothy Wilson, daughter of Edward Wilson of Dallam Tower and a descendant of the eponymous benefactor who had endowed Watson's scholarship. In 1774, he took up the position of prebendary
Prebendary
A prebendary is a post connected to an Anglican or Catholic cathedral or collegiate church and is a type of canon. Prebendaries have a role in the administration of the cathedral...
of Trinity College. He became archdeacon of Ely and rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of Northwold
Northwold
Northwold is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk.It covers an area of and had a population of 1,070 in 448 households as of the 2001 census....
in 1779, leaving the Northwold post two years later to become rector of Knattoft. In 1782, he left all his previous appointments to take up the post of Bishop of Llandaff, which he held till his death in 1816. In 1788, he purchased the Calgarth estate in Troutbeck Bridge
Troutbeck, South Lakeland
Troutbeck is a village in South Lakeland district in Cumbria. It is north of Windermere town, to the west of the A592 road. It is a conservation area and includes the National Trust property of Townend.-Village Amenities:...
, Windermere
Windermere
Windermere is the largest natural lake of England. It is also a name used in a number of places, including:-Australia:* Lake Windermere , a reservoir, Australian Capital Territory * Lake Windermere...
, Westmoreland.
He contributed to the Revolution Controversy
Revolution Controversy
The Revolution Controversy was a British debate over the French Revolution, lasting from 1789 through 1795. A pamphlet war began in earnest after the publication of Edmund Burke's Reflections on the Revolution in France , which surprisingly supported the French aristocracy...
, most notably in 1796 when he delivered his counterblast to Thomas Paine
Thomas Paine
Thomas "Tom" Paine was an English author, pamphleteer, radical, inventor, intellectual, revolutionary, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States...
's The Age of Reason
The Age of Reason
The Age of Reason; Being an Investigation of True and Fabulous Theology is a deistic pamphlet, written by eighteenth-century British radical and American revolutionary Thomas Paine, that criticizes institutionalized religion and challenges the legitimacy of the Bible, the central sacred text of...
in An Apology for the Bible which he had "reason to believe, was of singular service in stopping that torrent of irreligion which had been excited by [Paine's] writings". In 1798 he published An Address to the People of Great Britain, which argued for national taxes to be raised to pay for the war against France and to reduce the national debt. Gilbert Wakefield
Gilbert Wakefield
Gilbert Wakefield was an English scholar and controversialist.Gilbert Wakefield was the third son of the Rev. George Wakefield, then rector of St Nicholas' Church, Nottingham but afterwards at Kingston-upon-Thames. He was educated at Jesus College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. as second...
, a Unitarian
Unitarianism
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
minister who taught at Warrington Academy
Warrington Academy
Warrington Academy, active as a teaching establishment from 1756 to 1782, was a prominent dissenting academy, that is, a school or college set up by those who dissented from the state church in England...
, responded with A Reply to Some Parts of the Bishop Llandaff's Address to the People of Great Britain, attacking the privileged position of the wealthy.
An autobiography Anecdotes of the life of Richard Watson, Bishop of Landaff was finished in 1814 and published posthumously in 1817.
He was buried at St. Martin's Church
St. Martin's Church
St. Martin's Church or St. Martin of Tours Church may refer to any one of a number of churches.These would mostly be dedicated to Martin of Tours...
in Windermere. One of his great, great, great grandsons, Reverend David Watson
David Watson (evangelist)
David C. K. Watson was an English Anglican priest, evangelist and author.-Biography:Watson was educated at Wellington College school and St. John's College, Cambridge where he converted to Christianity. He became involved with the ministry of E. J. H. Nash by the invitation of David Sheppard,...
(1933–84) of St. Michael le Belfrey
St. Michael le Belfrey
St. Michael le Belfrey is an Anglican church in York, England. It is situated directly next to York Minster in the heart of the city.-History:...
, became a renowned evangelical clergyman over a century after the bishop's death.
External links
- Bishop Watson's rebuttal to the Age of Reason.
- The Wisdom and Goodness of God, in Having Made Both Rich and Poor. A Sermon Preached before the Stewards of the Westminster Dispensary at Their Anniversary Meeting, in Charlotte Street Chapel, April 1785. With an Appendix. from Project CanterburyProject CanterburyProject Canterbury is an online archive of material related to the history of Anglicanism. It was founded by Richard Mammana, Jr. in 1999, and is hosted by the non-profit Society of Archbishop Justus...