St. Lawrence's Church, Towcester - Clergy
The names of the incumbents and their dates were taken from the three documents listed at the foot of the page. Unfortunately there were differences in the spellings and the dates given in these documents.

DateRectors
?William Laundri by the Abbot and Convent of St Wandregisile
1258John de Estlando subdeacon
?Benedetto Caetani (c.1235-1303) who later became Pope. [more]
1295William de Botlivinca, Professor of Canon Law, who, on the 10th of June, 1295, came and showed to the Bishop of Lincoln the letters of the Pope stating that he had, by the apostolical authority, conferred the said church upon him, and he was admitted accordingly.
1295William de Cornubia, rector of Towcester, had the king's letter of protection, 11 December 1295.
1307Thomas de Pevesey, subdeacon, by the prior and convent of Bradenstoke, 9 August 1307.
1326Mast Walter de Boughton, acolyte, 10 June 1326.
1353Laurence de Stratton, priest, 7th February 1353 He exchanged for the rectory of Steeple Langford, Wilts with, ...
1366Mast John de Waltham, priest, 1st November 1366 He was also rector of Courtenhall He exchanged for the rectory of Brampton Patrick, co York with, ...
1369Robert Palmere, priest, 15th May 1369.
1396Andrew Taylor, priest, by William Worston, of co Wilts, 4th May, 1396.
1396Mast Thomas Worston, LLB priest, 16th January 1396.
1408John Aylestone, priest, 28th April, 1408.
1408William Blackwell, priest, 3rd July 1408.
1409John Lockhawe, 3rd May 1409.
1409Richard Brincle, priest, 12th March 1409.
1412John Wyntryngham, priest, 23rd February, 1412.
1414William Typpe, clerk, 6th April 1414.
1422William Sponne, priest, 6th June 1422. He was rector of Hevingham and Blofield, Norfolk, but resigned the latter rectory on being collated to the Archdeaconry of Norfolk with Corston annexed on 21st December 1419. He died in 1448.
1447Thomas Taylard, priest, 13th February 1447.
?Sir Thomas Nynehed
1456Sir Nicholas Rawdon, priest, 28th December 1456 - instituted March 1462 Kirby
1461John Chedworth, clerk, 22nd December 1461. He was collated to the archdeaconry of Northampton in 1457, and removed in 1461 to the archdeaconry of Lincoln, which he held until his death in 1471.
1471Mast John Russell, DCL 13th August 1471 He was tutor to Edward Prince of Wales, consecrated bishop of Rochester, 20th September 1476, translated to Lincoln, September 1480 and died January 1494
1476Mast Lawrence Cokkys, priest 21st September 1476
1501Christopher Fisher 4th July 1501
1512Launcelot Collyns, by Christopher Bainbridge Archbishop of York, cardinal of St Praxed, by a grant from the prior and convent of Bradenstoke, 20th December 1512
1539William Tresham, DD 28th February 1539. In 1541 he obtained the rectory of Bugbrooke


DateVicars
1569Sampson Hawksherst, vicar 1569 also spelt Hawkhurst in some literature.
1591William Johnson, presented by the bishop of Lichfield and Coventry, on the decease of the last incumbent, and instituted 25th March 1591.
1599Francis Bradley, A.B. who was inst. 31 August 1599. He was buried here 17th August 1634
1634John Lockwood, A.M. was inst. 8th November 1634. He was youngest son of Richard Lockwood, of Gayton, esq. Being a zealous royalist, and present at the battle of Naseby, where he was wounded, he was deprived of his preferment and replaced by Ralph Punn.
1650Ralph Punn
1655Robert Walwyn, who was the officiating minister in 1655 He was author of a compendious system of divinity, entitled "A Particular View of the Fundamentals of the Christian Religion" 1660. He was buried here 17th June 1659.
1662John Henley was vicar in 1662 and again installed 13th January 1673, having probably resigned when he obtained the vicarage of Salmonby in Lincolnshire. He had been educated at a dissenting academy, and conformed at the Restoration. He was father of Rev. Simon Henley, vicar of Melton Mowbray, co. Leicester, who was baptised here 12th August 1664 and grandfather to the celebrated Orator, Henley.
1676Nathaniel Parr.
1680Nathaniel Ellison, of Corpus Christi College, Oxford AM 1678 and B& DD 1702 was installed 30th December 1680. He was chaplain to the bishop of Lichfield and Coventry, who installed him archdeacon of Stafford in 1682.
1685Charles Palmer of Lincoln College AM was installed on 23rd June 1687. [Bridges says 1687, Baker says 1685]. He was buried here 12 Dec 1734, aged 72 years. His sermon preached at Towcester on June 10th 1702 has been published.
1735John Rodd of Trinity College Oxford AM 1728 BD 1740 was installed 23rd April 1735. He died at Barton, co Warwick, 19th October 1782 in his 78th year and was buried there.
1736Francis Meeke of Christ College Cambridge AM was installed 12th February 1736.
1781Francis Lernoult of Wadham College Oxford AM 10th June 1784.
1806Littleton Powys of Emanuel College Cambridge LLB younger brother of Thomas, first Lord Lilford, who was installed 5th September 1806. He was rector of Pilton 1772-1773, vicar of Lilford 1772-1825, rector of Aldwinckle St Peters 1773-1788, rector of Achurch 1778-1825, rector of Titchmarsh 1788-1805 and vicar of Towcester from 1806 till his death.
1826Thomas Sanders of Christ Church College Oxford AM was inst 5th January 1826
1834Abel John Ram of Oriel College Oxford AM was inst 25th September 1834
1840Joseph Garton
1855Robert John Clarke
1867Reginald P Lightfoot
1871John Albert Greaves
1873Thomas Woodroffee
1874William Hill Lee
1886James Mountain
1895William H Deane
1901Charles Augustus Hulbert
1911William B Sleight
1923Robert Edgar Ford
1939Herbert J Edmonds
1941George H Roper
1953Douglas Henry Curtis
1981James Edgar Atwell
1995Michael R H Baker
2005Tony Bryer (Priest-in-Charge)
2012Ben Phillips (Rector) (20th September 2012)


References
  1. Baker "Antiquities of the County of Northamptonshire".
  2. Bridge "History & Antiquities of Northamptonshire."
  3. A list compiled by Eric Griffiths in 1965.