William Baker (bishop)
Encyclopedia
William Baker was an English churchman and academic, Warden of Wadham College, Oxford
, Bishop of Bangor
and bishop of Norwich
.
, Somerset
, where he was born. He was educated at Crewkerne School, and entered Wadham College, Oxford, where he was first fellow, and eventually became warden in 1719. He was successively rector of St. Ebbes, of Padworth
, and of Blayden, all in the diocese of Oxford
. In 1714 he was collated to the archdeaconry of Oxford.
He was chaplain in ordinary to George I. In 1723 he was promoted to the see of Bangor, from which in 1727 he was translated to Norwich. He held the rectory of St. Giles-in-the-Fields in commendam
up to the time of his death, which occurred at Bath, 4 December 1732. He never married. During his brief tenure of the see of Bangor he made his only brother treasurer of the church there, and his two nephews were provided for by being made registrars of the diocese of Norwich. Francis Blomefield
, the historian of Norfolk, who was ordained by him, gives the titles of four sermons which he printed; one of them was published by special command of Queen Anne in 1710.
Wadham College, Oxford
Wadham College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, located at the southern end of Parks Road in central Oxford. It was founded by Nicholas and Dorothy Wadham, wealthy Somerset landowners, during the reign of King James I...
, Bishop of Bangor
Bishop of Bangor
The Bishop of Bangor is the Ordinary of the Church in Wales Diocese of Bangor.The diocese covers the counties of Anglesey, most of Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire and a small part of Montgomeryshire...
and bishop of Norwich
Bishop of Norwich
The Bishop of Norwich is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Norwich in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers most of the County of Norfolk and part of Suffolk. The see is in the City of Norwich where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided...
.
Life
He was the son of William Baker, vicar of IltonIlton
Ilton is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated south-east of Taunton, and north of Ilminster in the South Somerset district. The village has a population of 849...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, where he was born. He was educated at Crewkerne School, and entered Wadham College, Oxford, where he was first fellow, and eventually became warden in 1719. He was successively rector of St. Ebbes, of Padworth
Padworth
Padworth is a hamlet and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire, between Burghfield Common and Tadley.Padworth is in the unitary authority of West Berkshire, not far from the Hampshire border...
, and of Blayden, all in the diocese of Oxford
Diocese of Oxford
-History:The Diocese of Oxford was created in 1541 out of part of the Diocese of Lincoln.In 1836 the Archdeaconry of Berkshire was transferred from the Diocese of Salisbury to Oxford...
. In 1714 he was collated to the archdeaconry of Oxford.
He was chaplain in ordinary to George I. In 1723 he was promoted to the see of Bangor, from which in 1727 he was translated to Norwich. He held the rectory of St. Giles-in-the-Fields in commendam
In Commendam
In canon law, commendam was a form of transferring an ecclesiastical benefice in trust to the custody of a patron...
up to the time of his death, which occurred at Bath, 4 December 1732. He never married. During his brief tenure of the see of Bangor he made his only brother treasurer of the church there, and his two nephews were provided for by being made registrars of the diocese of Norwich. Francis Blomefield
Francis Blomefield
Francis Blomefield was an English antiquary, who projected a county history of Norfolk. During his lifetime, he compiled and published detailed accounts of the city of Norwich, Borough of Thetford and the southern hundreds of the county, but died before the whole work could be completed.-Biography...
, the historian of Norfolk, who was ordained by him, gives the titles of four sermons which he printed; one of them was published by special command of Queen Anne in 1710.