Thomas Nowell
Encyclopedia
Thomas Nowell was an English clergyman, historian and religious controversialist.
. He went up to Oriel College, Oxford in 1746 and in 1747 he won the Duke of Beaufort's exhibition. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1750, was awarded an exhibitionship in 1752, and took his Master of Arts degree in 1753. Nowell was made a fellow of Oriel in 1753 and served as junior treasurer to college between 1755 and 1757, senior treasurer between 1757 and 1758, and Dean between 1758 and 1760 and again in 1763.
In 1759 Benjamin Buckler
preached a flippant sermon at All Souls College, Oxford
, titled Elisha's Visit to Gilgal, and his Healing the Pot of Pottage, Symbolically Explain'd. In 1760 Nowell wrote an anonymous rebuttal titled A Dissertation upon that Species of Writing called Humour, when Applied to Sacred Subjects, which argued that biblical topics deserved to be treated with ‘decency and seriousness’ instead of humour and levity.
Between 1760 and 1776, Nowell was Public Orator of Oxford University. Oriel nominated Nowell for the post of Junior Proctor to the University in 1761, and Nowell spent many years as Secretary to the Chancellor of the University. In 1764 Nowell became Principal of St Mary Hall
and obtained both a Bachelor of Divinity and a Doctorate of Divinity in the same month of his appointment as principal. In 1764 Nowell married Sarah Munday (the daughter of Sir Thomas Munday, Oxford upholsterer) and had one son, Thomas, who died in childhood in 1768. On getting married, Nowell resigned his fellowship at Oriel. In 1771 Lord North
appointed him to the Regius Professorship of Modern History at Oxford
, a post he held, along with the principalship of St Mary Hall, until his death in 1801.
Life
Nowell was the son of Cradock Nowell of CardiffCardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
. He went up to Oriel College, Oxford in 1746 and in 1747 he won the Duke of Beaufort's exhibition. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1750, was awarded an exhibitionship in 1752, and took his Master of Arts degree in 1753. Nowell was made a fellow of Oriel in 1753 and served as junior treasurer to college between 1755 and 1757, senior treasurer between 1757 and 1758, and Dean between 1758 and 1760 and again in 1763.
In 1759 Benjamin Buckler
Benjamin Buckler
Benjamin Buckler was an antiquarian and an academic at the University of Oxford.-Life:Benjamin Buckler, from Warminster in Wiltshire, studied at Oriel College, Oxford, from 1733 onwards. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1736 and his Master of Arts degree in 1739; he was also elected...
preached a flippant sermon at All Souls College, Oxford
All Souls College, Oxford
The Warden and the College of the Souls of all Faithful People deceased in the University of Oxford or All Souls College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England....
, titled Elisha's Visit to Gilgal, and his Healing the Pot of Pottage, Symbolically Explain'd. In 1760 Nowell wrote an anonymous rebuttal titled A Dissertation upon that Species of Writing called Humour, when Applied to Sacred Subjects, which argued that biblical topics deserved to be treated with ‘decency and seriousness’ instead of humour and levity.
Between 1760 and 1776, Nowell was Public Orator of Oxford University. Oriel nominated Nowell for the post of Junior Proctor to the University in 1761, and Nowell spent many years as Secretary to the Chancellor of the University. In 1764 Nowell became Principal of St Mary Hall
St Mary Hall, Oxford
St Mary Hall was an academic hall of the University of Oxford associated with Oriel College since 1326, but which functioned independently from 1545 to 1902.- History :...
and obtained both a Bachelor of Divinity and a Doctorate of Divinity in the same month of his appointment as principal. In 1764 Nowell married Sarah Munday (the daughter of Sir Thomas Munday, Oxford upholsterer) and had one son, Thomas, who died in childhood in 1768. On getting married, Nowell resigned his fellowship at Oriel. In 1771 Lord North
Frederick North, Lord North
Frederick North, 2nd Earl of Guilford, KG, PC , more often known by his courtesy title, Lord North, which he used from 1752 until 1790, was Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1770 to 1782. He led Great Britain through most of the American War of Independence...
appointed him to the Regius Professorship of Modern History at Oxford
Regius Professor of Modern History (Oxford)
The Regius Professor of Modern History at the University of Oxford is an old-established professorial position. The first appointment was made in 1724...
, a post he held, along with the principalship of St Mary Hall, until his death in 1801.