William Overton (bishop)
William Overton (c. 1525– 9 April 1609) was an English bishop.
Life[edit]
He was born in Clerkenwell, Middlesex, England.
He became a Fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford, in 1551, and rector of Balcombe (Sussex) and vicar of Eccleshall (Staffordshire) in 1553.[1] He was also made a prebendary at Chichester, Winchester, and Salisbury. He became Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry in 1580, and remained in post until his death in 1609.[2]
Glassmaking[edit]
He was responsible for developing glassmaking in Staffordshire, importing artisans of French origin and supplying firewood from the episcopal estates.[3][4] The glassworks he established near Eccleshall continued in production after his death, but were affected by legislation which forbade the use of wood for the furnace.
Personal life[edit]
His first wife was Margaret Barlow (1533 - 1601), daughter of Bishop William Barlow and Agatha (Wellesbourne) Barlow, and they had Susan (Barlow) Playsted and Valentine Barlow (1565 - 1646).[citation needed]
Legacy[edit]
While he was still alive, he made arrangements for his tomb which survives. It is in Holy Trinity Church in Eccleshall, a small town where the bishops had a residence, Eccleshall Castle.[5]
Overton was interested in increasing the income of his diocese, which had been affected by the price revolution, but he had little success in improving the overall finances.
Further reading[edit]
- Russell Fox (1982), William Overton and Glassmaking in Buriton
References[edit]
- ^ Concise Dictionary of National Biography
- ^ "Bishops | British History Online". British-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
- ^ O'Day, R. (2004, September 23). Overton, William (1524/5?–1609), bishop of Coventry and Lichfield. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Ed. Retrieved 4 May. 2019, from https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-20976. (subscription or UK public library membership required)
- ^ "Imagining Staffordshire". Archived from the original on 6 October 2011. Retrieved 27 January 2009.
- ^ "Holy Trinity Church, Eccleshall". Thepotteries.org. 3 December 1975. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
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