William Stuart (bishop)

The Most Reverend
William Stuart
PC, DD
Archbishop of Armagh

Archbishop William Stuart sculpted by Francis Chantrey
Province Armagh
Diocese Armagh
Installed 1800
Term ended 1822
Predecessor William Newcome
Successor Lord John Beresford
Other posts Bishop of St David's
Orders
Consecration 12 January 1794
Personal details
Born March 1755
Died 6 May 1822 (aged 68)
London (or Bath), England
Buried Luton Hoo, England
Nationality British
Parents John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute and Mary Wortley-Montagu
Spouse Sophia Penn
Children Mary, William, and Henry

William Stuart PC (17551822) was an Anglican prelate who served as the Bishop of St David's in Wales from 1794 to 1800 and then Archbishop of Armagh in Ireland from 1800 to his death.

Family life

Stuart was the son of John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute and Mary Wortley-Montagu.[1] There is a famous painting in the Tate Gallery, London of him aged 12 stealing eggs and chicks from a bird's nest.[2]

On 3 May 1796, William married Sophia Penn, daughter of Thomas Penn, and had three children:[1]

Episcopal ministry

In 1793 he was appointed Canon of the fourth stall at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, a position he held until 1800.

He was consecrated Bishop of St David's on 12 January 1794.[4] Six years later, he was nominated Archbishop of Armagh on 30 October 1800 and appointed by letters patent on 22 November 1800.[5]

He died in London (or possibly in Bath) from accidentally taking an improper medicine on 6 May 1822, aged 68.[5][6] He was buried at his family's seat, Luton Hoo in Bedfordshire.[6] In St Patrick's Anglican Cathedral in Armagh is a full length marble figure of the Archbishop, in the attitude of prayer; and beneath it is the following Latin inscription:[6]

M. S. / Reverendissimi in Christo patris / GULIELMI STUART, S T P. / per annos xxii hujusce Ecclesiæ / Archiepiscopi. / Hoc monumentum / Clerici Armachani / pio functi munere / posuerunt. / Obiit anno salutis MDCCCXXII / Ætat. Suæ Ixviii.[6]

References

  1. 1 2 Most Rev. Hon. William Stuart. Peerage.com. Retrieved on 19 March 2010.
  2. Source: Cambridge University Alumni, 1261–1900.
  3. Fryde, E. B.; Greenway, D. E.; Porter, S.; Roy, I. (1986). Handbook of British Chronology (3rd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 299. ISBN 0-521-56350-X.
  4. 1 2 Fryde, ibid., p. 380.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Cotton, Henry (1849). The Succession of the Prelates and Members of the Cathedral Bodies of Ireland. Fasti ecclesiae Hiberniae. Vol. 3, The Province of Ulster. Dublin: Hodges and Smith. p. 28.
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