Thomas Bickley

Thomas Bickley, Bishop of Chichester, showing arms of theSee of Chichesterimpaling Bickley (Argent, a chevron embattled counter-embattled between three griffin's heads erased sable

Mural monument to Thomas Bickley,Chichester Cathedral

Thomas Bickley(1518–1596) was an English churchman, aMarian exilewho became Warden ofMerton College, OxfordandBishop of Chichester

Life

He was born atStow, Buckinghamshire,and began his education as a chorister in the free school ofMagdalen College, Oxford.He afterwards became ademy,and in 1541 was elected a Fellow of the college. He acquired a reputation as a reformer and preacher of reformed doctrine, and soon after the accession ofEdward VIwas appointed one of the king's chaplains atWindsor.

During the reign ofMary I of Englandhe went to France, where he spent most of his time in study atParisandOrléans.Returning to England after the accession ofElizabeth I,he enjoyed rapid promotion, being made, within ten years, chaplain to ArchbishopMatthew Parker,rector ofBiddendeninKent,ofSutton WaldroninDorset,archdeacon of Stafford,chancellor inLichfield Cathedral,and Warden of Merton College, Oxford.

He was made bishop of Chichester in 1585. Some of the returns to articles of inquiry made at his visitations have been preserved amongst the episcopal records. He died in 1596, and was buried inChichester Cathedralon 26 May. A tablet to Bickley's memory is attached to the north wall of thelady chapel,surmounted by a small kneeling effigy of the bishop.

References

Attribution

This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain:"Bickley, Thomas".Dictionary of National Biography.London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.