John Lynch (1697–1760), of The Groves atStaple, Kent, was an 18th-centuryChurch of England clergyman, Royal chaplain to the King (1727–34)Dean of Canterbury (1734–60) andArchdeacon of Canterbury.
Lynch was born on 5 December 1697, son of Colonel. John Lynch Esq of The Groves atStaple, Kent (d. 1733) and his wife, Hon. Sarah Head daughter of Sir Francis Head, Baronet of The Great Hermitage at Rochester in Kent. He was educated at theKing's School, Canterbury, and thenSt John's College, Cambridge, (1714; BA 1718; MA 1721; DD 1728).[1] He was ordained deacon in Norwich (1721).
In 1723 his patron, ArchbishopWilliam Wake, appointed Lynch to the Chapter ofCanterbury Cathedral (Stall IV) and as rector ofAll Hallows, Bread Street, London. He was rector ofSundridge (Kent) from 1725 to 1733 and a chaplain to the king from 1727 to 1734.
Lynch married the archbishop's daughter, Mary, in 1728 and received further preferment, including appointment as master of theHospital of St Cross, Winchester, rector ofAll Hallows the Great (London) (1730-2), rector ofIckham, Kent (1731–60), rector ofEynesford, Kent (1731–60), rector ofBishopsbourne, Kent (1731–60), master ofHarbledown Hospital, Canterbury (1731) and treasurer ofSalisbury Cathedral (1735–60).
On the death ofElias Sydall, Lynch was appointedDean of Canterbury.[2] He was criticised in his lifetime as a notorious pluralist. An anonymous satirical pamphlet (The Life of Dean L---nch, 1748) was published attacking him.[3] In exoneration, H.J. Todd in hisSome account of the deans of Canterbury (1793) comments: "Large as his Income may appear, yet his expenses were equal to his revenues. On his Prebendal and Deanery Houses he had expended no less than £3000. And his private charities were known to equal his public spirit".[4] Todd notes also that Lynch had been an early supporter of the Society for the Support of the Widows and Orphans of the Clergy.
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| Preceded by | Dean of Canterbury 1734-1760 | Succeeded by |
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