Robert Fowler (archbishop)
Encyclopedia
Robert Fowler was an Anglo-Irish
clergyman. He served as the Archbishop of Dublin
in the Church of Ireland
from 1779 until his death in 1801.
, England. He was the third son of George and Mary Fowler (née Hurst) of Skendleby Thorpe. After an education at Westminster School
, he was elected a King’s Scholar in 1744. On 24 May of that year he was admitted to Trinity College, Cambridge
, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1747, a Master of Arts degree in 1751, and a Doctor of Divinity degree in 1764. He married Mildred, eldest daughter (and coheir of her brother, also William) of William Dealtry of Gainsborough, County Lincolnshire, on 29 October, 1766. Together, they had one son and two daughters.
An appointment as Chaplain to King George II
in 1756 led Robert Fowler to a seat as Dean and Prebendary
of Westminster Abbey
from 1765 to 1771. A prebend at Westminster was highly sought after by the ecclesiastical establishment. The value of the prebend helped to enrich the salaries of bishops, who retained their prebends at Westminster whilst in another office. Robert Fowler was nominated on 13 June and consecrated on 28 July, 1771, Bishop of Killaloe and Kilfenora
in Ireland. On 22 December, 1778, during the administration of Lord Buckingham
, he was translated to the archiepiscopal see of Dublin
. His letters patent were issued by King George III on 8 January, 1779, and on the 13th of the same month he was consecrated and enthroned in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin
, as Archbishop of Dublin and Primate of Ireland. On the 16th of January, he was consecrated and enthroned at St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin
. The elevation to the Archbishopric of Dublin in 1779 also led him to a seat on the Irish Privy Council. The Irish Privy Council was a private committee of King George III's closest advisors to give confidential advice on affairs of state. In 1783 Robert Fowler was appointed the position of Chancellor of the 'Order of St. Patrick
'. The 'Most Illustrious Order of Saint Patrick', as it is formally known, is a British order of chivalry associated with Ireland and was created by King George III on 5 February, 1783.
In William Domville Handcock's book, The History and Antiquities of Tallaght in the County of Dublin (published 1877), the writer recounts a brief detail of a Vestry meeting in 1783. During the Vestry meeting, it was proposed that a throne be erected, or a suitable pew enclosed, for the use of His Grace the Archbishop in Tallaght Church
. However, Archbishop Fowler declined the honor, stating that one seat should not be more decorated than another in a parish church. This account would support why his parishioners and contemporaries thought him a kind, courteous and affable man - as he was also described in Samuel Burdy's The Life of Philip Skelton
(published 1792).
It must be remembered that Archbishop Fowler was head of a minority religion (Anglicanism
) that held power in a united Ireland (predominantly Catholic). The Battle of Boyne in 1690 had ensured the domination of the Protestant faith, and as in England, Catholics together with Jews, were denied access to most positions of power and influence. This produced tensions at all levels of society. Fowler seems to have been opposed to the more Evangelical arm of his own church and banned two ordained clergy for preaching justification by faith. In 1782 he was one of 12 Spiritual Peers in the Irish House of Lords who opposed the Bill for the relief of Dissenters on the grounds that it would promote clandestine & improvident marriages. In 1789 he joined with 14 other peers in protest at the appointment of the Prince of Wales as Regent during the temporary illness of King George III. On the basis of these political activities Fowler made his request to become a Temporal (hereditary) Peer. The government under William Pitt
refused his request on the grounds that it was no more than his duty as Archbishop. Fowler was furious, and traveled to England to remonstrate with Pitt, to no avail.
It would seem from the evidence that in spite of Philip Skelton’s commendation of Fowler's great regard for religion, his main interests were in family, gardens and with little reverence for antiquities. The garden of the Palace of Tallaght was brought to a high state of perfection. Sadly, in 1793, Fowler's wife died and was buried at Tallaght Church.
In March 1798, intelligence from informants among the United Irishmen caused the British Government to sweep up most of their leadership in Dublin. Martial law was imposed over most of the country, and its unrelenting force put the United Irish organization under severe pressure to act before it was too late. During the absence of the Archbishop in 1798, Tallaght Palace was attacked by armed men and various weapons were stolen. The Irish Rebellion
was to follow, and these factors may have decided a prelate, who was already known as an absentee, to travel to England. In his justification and defense it must be said that Robert Fowler was not alone in being an absentee prelate during the gradual clashes between the United Irish and British Government. As early as 1782, the Irish Patriot Party
, led by Henry Grattan
, pushed for greater enfranchisement. They used their newly powerful position to force the Crown to grant the landed Ascendancy self-rule and a more independent parliament. In 1793, parliament passed laws allowing Catholics with property to vote, but they could neither be elected nor appointed as state officials. In response, liberal elements among the ruling class were inspired by the example of the American Revolution
(1776–1783) and the French Revolution
(1789–1799), which had taken place in a Catholic country. They sought to form a common cause with the Catholic populace to achieve reform and greater autonomy from Britain. The Insurrection Act of 1796 was passed to suppress the growing number of meetings, distributed literature, and "disturbances of the public peace" by the United Irish. This Act did little to halt organization and growing sentiment for the United Irish movement or the uprisings which ultimately led to the Irish Rebellion of 1798. Within the next six years, however, the rebellion and residual pockets of resistance were vanquished by British forces.
Due to ill health, Archbishop Fowler lived the remaining two years of his life at Bassingbourne Hall in Takeley
, Essex
, England, a seat which His Grace rented from Sir Peter Parker, 1st Baronet
(who himself purchased the estate from Francis Bernard, 1st Earl of Bandon
). His Grace lived to see the 'Union with Ireland Act' and the 'Act of Union' pass in 1800. He died on 10 October, 1801, at Bassingbourne Hall, and was buried at Holy Trinity Church in Takeley on 19 October.
Archbishop Fowler's children were to fulfill his ambitions to become a member of the Peerage. Eldest daughter Mildred (who would become Countess of Kilkenny) married in 1793 Edmund Butler, 12th Lord Viscount Mountgarret and 1st (and last) Earl of Kilkenny
. Robert Fowler's 2nd daughter Frances married in 1795 Richard Bourke
, Bishop of Waterford and Lismore
and younger brother to the 4th Earl of Mayo
; their son became the 5th Earl of Mayo when the 4th Earl died without issue. Robert Fowler's only son Robert was consecrated Bishop of Ossory
in 1813, then in 1835 became the inaugural Bishop of Ossory, Ferns and Leighlin
. He married in 1796 the Honorable Louisa Gardiner, eldest daughter of Luke Gardiner, 1st Viscount Mountjoy
, and sister to Charles Gardiner, 1st Earl of Blessington.
Until fairly recently, the exact burial place of such a man of importance at Holy Trinity Church had presented something of a mystery, as there was no memorial, tomb, or tablet of any kind to him. The discovery of a vault filled in during the Victorian restoration
has solved this mystery, and it is now known that Robert Fowler, Archbishop of Dublin, is buried under the Chancel (or Altar) of the Holy Trinity Church, Takeley.
Bassingbourne Hall, the great house built by William Towse in circa 1580, and the last residence of Archbishop Fowler, was demolished in 1813 according to the will of the owner, Sir Peter Parker. The house demolished in 1988 to make way for the expansion of Stansted Airport was originally the Home Farm House of Bassingourne Hall and took on the name when that building was razed.
Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish was a term used primarily in the 19th and early 20th centuries to identify a privileged social class in Ireland, whose members were the descendants and successors of the Protestant Ascendancy, mostly belonging to the Church of Ireland, which was the established church of Ireland until...
clergyman. He served as the Archbishop of Dublin
Archbishop of Dublin (Church of Ireland)
The Archbishop of Dublin is the title of the senior cleric who presides over the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough in the Church of Ireland...
in the Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
from 1779 until his death in 1801.
Life
Robert Fowler was born on 23 December, 1724, and baptized at Skendleby Thorpe, LincolnshireLincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
, England. He was the third son of George and Mary Fowler (née Hurst) of Skendleby Thorpe. After an education at Westminster School
Westminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
, he was elected a King’s Scholar in 1744. On 24 May of that year 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...
, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1747, a Master of Arts degree in 1751, and a Doctor of Divinity degree in 1764. He married Mildred, eldest daughter (and coheir of her brother, also William) of William Dealtry of Gainsborough, County Lincolnshire, on 29 October, 1766. Together, they had one son and two daughters.
An appointment as Chaplain to King George II
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
in 1756 led Robert Fowler to a seat as Dean and 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 Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
from 1765 to 1771. A prebend at Westminster was highly sought after by the ecclesiastical establishment. The value of the prebend helped to enrich the salaries of bishops, who retained their prebends at Westminster whilst in another office. Robert Fowler was nominated on 13 June and consecrated on 28 July, 1771, Bishop of Killaloe and Kilfenora
Bishop of Killaloe and Kilfenora
The Bishop of Killaloe and Kilfenora was the Ordinary of the Church of Ireland diocese of Killaloe and Kilfenora in the Province of Cashel; comprising all of County Clare and the northern part of County Tipperary, Ireland....
in Ireland. On 22 December, 1778, during the administration of Lord Buckingham
John Hobart, 2nd Earl of Buckinghamshire
John Hobart, 2nd Earl of Buckinghamshire was an English nobleman and politician.The son of John Hobart, 1st Earl of Buckinghamshire by his first marriage, he was educated at Westminster School and Christ's College, Cambridge. He was Member of Parliament for Norwich from 1747–56, having also been...
, he was translated to the archiepiscopal see of Dublin
Archbishop of Dublin (Church of Ireland)
The Archbishop of Dublin is the title of the senior cleric who presides over the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough in the Church of Ireland...
. His letters patent were issued by King George III on 8 January, 1779, and on the 13th of the same month he was consecrated and enthroned in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin
Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin
Christ Church Cathedral is the cathedral of the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough and the cathedral of the Ecclesiastical province of the United Provinces of Dublin and Cashel in the Church of Ireland...
, as Archbishop of Dublin and Primate of Ireland. On the 16th of January, he was consecrated and enthroned at St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin
St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin
Saint Patrick's Cathedral , or more formally, the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Patrick is a cathedral of the Church of Ireland in Dublin, Ireland which was founded in 1191. The Church has designated it as The National Cathedral of Ireland...
. The elevation to the Archbishopric of Dublin in 1779 also led him to a seat on the Irish Privy Council. The Irish Privy Council was a private committee of King George III's closest advisors to give confidential advice on affairs of state. In 1783 Robert Fowler was appointed the position of Chancellor of the 'Order of St. Patrick
Order of St. Patrick
The Most Illustrious Order of Saint Patrick is a British order of chivalry associated with Ireland. The Order was created in 1783 by George III. The regular creation of knights of Saint Patrick lasted until 1921, when most of Ireland became independent as the Irish Free State...
'. The 'Most Illustrious Order of Saint Patrick', as it is formally known, is a British order of chivalry associated with Ireland and was created by King George III on 5 February, 1783.
In William Domville Handcock's book, The History and Antiquities of Tallaght in the County of Dublin (published 1877), the writer recounts a brief detail of a Vestry meeting in 1783. During the Vestry meeting, it was proposed that a throne be erected, or a suitable pew enclosed, for the use of His Grace the Archbishop in Tallaght Church
St. Maelruain's Church
St. Maelruain's Church is a church of the Church of Ireland located in Tallaght, South Dublin in Ireland. The parish is in the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough. It occupies the site of an original monastery...
. However, Archbishop Fowler declined the honor, stating that one seat should not be more decorated than another in a parish church. This account would support why his parishioners and contemporaries thought him a kind, courteous and affable man - as he was also described in Samuel Burdy's The Life of Philip Skelton
Philip Skelton
-Life:The son of Richard Skelton, a farmer, gunsmith tanner, he was born at Derriaghy, County Antrim, in February 1707. His mother, Arabella Cathcart, was daughter of a farmer, and the tenancy, under Lord Conway, of the farm at Derriaghy was her marriage portion. Philip, who had five brothers and...
(published 1792).
It must be remembered that Archbishop Fowler was head of a minority religion (Anglicanism
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...
) that held power in a united Ireland (predominantly Catholic). The Battle of Boyne in 1690 had ensured the domination of the Protestant faith, and as in England, Catholics together with Jews, were denied access to most positions of power and influence. This produced tensions at all levels of society. Fowler seems to have been opposed to the more Evangelical arm of his own church and banned two ordained clergy for preaching justification by faith. In 1782 he was one of 12 Spiritual Peers in the Irish House of Lords who opposed the Bill for the relief of Dissenters on the grounds that it would promote clandestine & improvident marriages. In 1789 he joined with 14 other peers in protest at the appointment of the Prince of Wales as Regent during the temporary illness of King George III. On the basis of these political activities Fowler made his request to become a Temporal (hereditary) Peer. The government under William Pitt
William Pitt the Younger
William Pitt the Younger was a British politician of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He became the youngest Prime Minister in 1783 at the age of 24 . He left office in 1801, but was Prime Minister again from 1804 until his death in 1806...
refused his request on the grounds that it was no more than his duty as Archbishop. Fowler was furious, and traveled to England to remonstrate with Pitt, to no avail.
It would seem from the evidence that in spite of Philip Skelton’s commendation of Fowler's great regard for religion, his main interests were in family, gardens and with little reverence for antiquities. The garden of the Palace of Tallaght was brought to a high state of perfection. Sadly, in 1793, Fowler's wife died and was buried at Tallaght Church.
In March 1798, intelligence from informants among the United Irishmen caused the British Government to sweep up most of their leadership in Dublin. Martial law was imposed over most of the country, and its unrelenting force put the United Irish organization under severe pressure to act before it was too late. During the absence of the Archbishop in 1798, Tallaght Palace was attacked by armed men and various weapons were stolen. The Irish Rebellion
Irish Rebellion of 1798
The Irish Rebellion of 1798 , also known as the United Irishmen Rebellion , was an uprising in 1798, lasting several months, against British rule in Ireland...
was to follow, and these factors may have decided a prelate, who was already known as an absentee, to travel to England. In his justification and defense it must be said that Robert Fowler was not alone in being an absentee prelate during the gradual clashes between the United Irish and British Government. As early as 1782, the Irish Patriot Party
Irish Patriot Party
The Irish Patriot Party was the name of a number of different political groupings in Ireland throughout the 18th century. They were primarily supportive of Whig concepts of personal liberty combined with an Irish identity that rejected full independence, but advocated strong self-government within...
, led by Henry Grattan
Henry Grattan
Henry Grattan was an Irish politician and member of the Irish House of Commons and a campaigner for legislative freedom for the Irish Parliament in the late 18th century. He opposed the Act of Union 1800 that merged the Kingdoms of Ireland and Great Britain.-Early life:Grattan was born at...
, pushed for greater enfranchisement. They used their newly powerful position to force the Crown to grant the landed Ascendancy self-rule and a more independent parliament. In 1793, parliament passed laws allowing Catholics with property to vote, but they could neither be elected nor appointed as state officials. In response, liberal elements among the ruling class were inspired by the example of the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
(1776–1783) and the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
(1789–1799), which had taken place in a Catholic country. They sought to form a common cause with the Catholic populace to achieve reform and greater autonomy from Britain. The Insurrection Act of 1796 was passed to suppress the growing number of meetings, distributed literature, and "disturbances of the public peace" by the United Irish. This Act did little to halt organization and growing sentiment for the United Irish movement or the uprisings which ultimately led to the Irish Rebellion of 1798. Within the next six years, however, the rebellion and residual pockets of resistance were vanquished by British forces.
Due to ill health, Archbishop Fowler lived the remaining two years of his life at Bassingbourne Hall in Takeley
Takeley
Takeley is a small village in Essex near Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, England.When Takeley was first registered by the Normans in 1086-87 its boundaries were approximately 8 miles in length, with a total area of 3,000 acres . However, since the development of Stansted Airport, it has lost...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, England, a seat which His Grace rented from Sir Peter Parker, 1st Baronet
Sir Peter Parker, 1st Baronet
Admiral of the Fleet Sir Peter Parker, 1st Baronet was a British naval officer.-Naval career:Peter Parker was born probably in Ireland. He became a lieutenant in the Royal Navy in 1743 and captain in 1747. In 1761, he took command of HMS Buckingham and helped cover operations on Belle Île...
(who himself purchased the estate from Francis Bernard, 1st Earl of Bandon
Francis Bernard, 1st Earl of Bandon
Francis Bernard, 1st Earl of Bandon was an Irish peer and politician.He was the only son of James Bernard and his wife Esther Smith, daughter of Percy Smith. Between 1778 and 1783, Bernard sat as Member of Parliament for Ennis...
). His Grace lived to see the 'Union with Ireland Act' and the 'Act of Union' pass in 1800. He died on 10 October, 1801, at Bassingbourne Hall, and was buried at Holy Trinity Church in Takeley on 19 October.
Archbishop Fowler's children were to fulfill his ambitions to become a member of the Peerage. Eldest daughter Mildred (who would become Countess of Kilkenny) married in 1793 Edmund Butler, 12th Lord Viscount Mountgarret and 1st (and last) Earl of Kilkenny
Edmund Butler, 1st Earl of Kilkenny
Edmund Butler, 1st Earl of Kilkenny, 12th Viscount Mountgarret was created Earl of Kilkenny on 20 December 1793. The son of Edmund Butler, 11th Viscount Mountgarret and Henrietta Butler, he was thus a member of the powerful Butler Dynasty descended from the illustrious House of Butler of Ormond,...
. Robert Fowler's 2nd daughter Frances married in 1795 Richard Bourke
Richard Bourke (bishop)
The Honourable Richard Bourke was the last Bishop of Waterford and Lismore before it merged with the defunct Ecclesiastical Province of Cashel. Born into an aristocratic family, he was educated at Christ Church Oxford....
, Bishop of Waterford and Lismore
Bishop of Waterford and Lismore
The Bishop of Waterford and Lismore is an episcopal title which takes its name after the city of Waterford and town of Lismore in the Republic of Ireland. The title was used by the Church of Ireland until 1838, and is still used by the Catholic Church....
and younger brother to the 4th Earl of Mayo
John Bourke, 4th Earl of Mayo
John Bourke, 4th Earl of Mayo, GCH, PC was an Irish peer and courtier, styled Lord Naas from 1792 until 1794....
; their son became the 5th Earl of Mayo when the 4th Earl died without issue. Robert Fowler's only son Robert was consecrated Bishop of Ossory
Bishop of Ossory
The Bishop of Ossory is an episcopal title which takes its name after the ancient of Kingdom of Ossory in the Province of Leinster, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with other bishoprics.-History:The diocese of Ossory...
in 1813, then in 1835 became the inaugural Bishop of Ossory, Ferns and Leighlin
Bishop of Ossory, Ferns and Leighlin
The Bishop of Ossory, Ferns and Leighlin was the Ordinary of the Church of Ireland diocese of Ossory, Ferns and Leighlin in the Ecclesiastical Province of Dublin...
. He married in 1796 the Honorable Louisa Gardiner, eldest daughter of Luke Gardiner, 1st Viscount Mountjoy
Luke Gardiner, 1st Viscount Mountjoy
Luke Gardiner, 1st Viscount Mountjoy PC was an Irish landowner and politician.He was the son of Charles Gardiner by his wife Florinda, daughter of Robert Norman. His sister Anne later became Countess of Clancarty. On 3 July 1773 he married Elizabeth, daughter of William Montgomery, an MP for...
, and sister to Charles Gardiner, 1st Earl of Blessington.
Until fairly recently, the exact burial place of such a man of importance at Holy Trinity Church had presented something of a mystery, as there was no memorial, tomb, or tablet of any kind to him. The discovery of a vault filled in during the Victorian restoration
Victorian restoration
Victorian restoration is the term commonly used to refer to the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria...
has solved this mystery, and it is now known that Robert Fowler, Archbishop of Dublin, is buried under the Chancel (or Altar) of the Holy Trinity Church, Takeley.
Bassingbourne Hall, the great house built by William Towse in circa 1580, and the last residence of Archbishop Fowler, was demolished in 1813 according to the will of the owner, Sir Peter Parker. The house demolished in 1988 to make way for the expansion of Stansted Airport was originally the Home Farm House of Bassingourne Hall and took on the name when that building was razed.