GEMMS IDGEMMS-PERSON-000222
NameEdward Wetenhall
TitleBishop
Gendermale
DenominationChurch of Ireland
Livedb. 1636-10-07 - d. 1713-11-12 (old)
Linked Manuscripts
Linked SermonsSermon on Luke 19:40 -- preacher (autograph: yes)
Linked Reports
Associated PlacesArdagh -- BishopricCork and Ross -- BishopricKilmore -- BishopricCombe -- ParishSt Stephen -- ParishSt Werburgh -- ParishLincoln College -- Place of StudyTrinity College -- Place of StudyTrinity College -- Place of StudyWestminster School -- Place of StudyChrist Church Cathedral -- PostExeter Cathedral -- PostLincoln College -- PostSt Werburgh -- Post
Source of DataRichard Snoddy; Hannah Wood
Biographical Sources ConsultedODNB (Article: 29142); ACAD (Venn) (ID:WTNL655E)
Other NoteEdward Wettenhall (also known as Edward Withnall) was born in Lichfield on 7 October 1636. He was attended Westminster School before being admitted to Trinity College, Cambridge as a foundation scholar in 1655, whence he graduated B.A. in 1658. He migrated to Lincoln College, Oxford in 1660, where he served as chaplain and graduated M.A. in July 1661; that same year he was made perpetual curate of Combe, Oxon. and vicar of St. Stephen’s, Herts. He was collated to a prebend at Exeter in 1667, simultaneously taking up the post of master of Exeter Grammar School. He graduated B.D. at Oxford in May 1669, and was incorporated B.D. at Cambridge in 1670. Wettenhall left England for Ireland in 1672; he was made D.D. at Trinity College Dublin in 1674, and soon after became curate of St. Werburgh’s and chantor of Christ Church, Dublin. In March 1679 Wetenhall was consecrated as bishop of Cork and Ross (newly separate from Cloyne). Wetenhall preached obedience to James II throughout his diocese following James’s accession, publishing his sermons as “Hexapla Jacobaea: a Specimen of Loyalty to … James II” (1686). He remained in Ireland during the Williamite War (1688-91) and was one of four bishops to attend James II’s Irish parliament, to which he expressed opposition. In the anonymous tract “The case of the Irish protestants in relation to recognizing or swearing allegiance to and praying for King William and Queen Mary stated and resolved” (1691), widely recognized as his work, Wetenhall defended protestant acceptance of the Revolution, albeit in somewhat tepid terms. Through the 1680s and 90s he wrote several more works in which he weighed in on protestant dissent, the doctrine of the Trinity, and the repression of conventicles. Wetenhall was transferred to the diocese of Kilmore and Ardagh in 1699 and was remembered as an attentive bishop with pastoral interests. He promoted missionary work through the Irish language among Catholics, wrote works of religious instruction and catechism, and contributed to the repair of episcopal residences at Cork and Kilmore and the restoration of the cathedral of Ardagh; however, he was also accused by some opponents of despoiling his dioceses and abandoning his predecessor’s church-building programme. Wetenhall died in London on 12 November 1713 and was buried in the south transept of Westminster Abbey. He was survived by his second wife, Philippa (d. 1717, daughter of Sir William D’Oyly) and his sons Edward (d.1733) and John ( archdeacon of Cork, d.1717).
GEMMS record createdDecember 14, 2015
GEMMS record last editedAugust 03, 2021