Ebook: A field guide to the English clergy: a compendium of diverse eccentrics, pirates, prelates and adventurers ; all Anglican, some even practicing

Eccentrics : -- The Reverend Robert Hawker, vicar of Morwenstow (1803-75) -- The Reverend George Harvest, rector of Thames Ditton (1728-89) -- The Reverend Sandys Wason, perpetual curate of cury and Gunwalloe (1867-1950) -- The Reverend Thomas Massey, rector of Farringdon (c.1829-1919) -- The Right Reverend Lord William Cecil, bishop of Exeter (1863-1936) -- The Reverend Edwin 'Teddy' Boston, rector of Cadeby cum Sutton Cheney (1924-86) -- The Reverend Frederick Densham, vicar of Warleggan (1870-1953) -- The Reverend Ian Graham-Orlebar, rector of Barton-le-Clay (1926-2016) -- The Reverend Morgan Jones, curate of Blewbury (1747-1827) -- The Right Reverend and Right Honourable Frederick Hervey, earl of Bristol, bishop of Derry (1730-1803) -- Nutty Professors : -- The Very Reverend Samuel Smith, dean of Christ Church, Oxford (1765-1841) -- The Reverend Thoms Espin, vicar of Tow Law (1858-1934) -- The Reverend Dr William Spooner, warden of New College, Oxford (1844-1930) -- Canon Frederick Simpson, dean of Trinity College, Cambridge (1883-1974) -- The Reverend Professor Stephen Reay, Laudian professor of Arabic at Oxford (1782-1861) -- The Reverend Richard Polwhele, rector of Manaccan (1760-1838) -- The Reverend Francis Hugh Maycock, principal of Pusey House (1903-1980) -- The Reverend Dr Vicesimus Knox, headmaster of Tonbridge School (1752-1821) -- Canon Claude Jenkins, canon of Christ church and Regius professor of ecclesiastical history at Oxford (1877-1959) -- The Reverend Sabine Baring-Gould, rector of Lew Trenchard (1834-1924) -- Bon Viveurs : -- Canon Brian Dominic Titus Leo Brindley, vicar of Holy Trinity, Reading (1931-2001) -- The Reverend Nathaniel Rothwell, rector of Thursford and Great Snoring (1652-1710) -- The Reverend Thomas Patten, vicar of Seasalter (1683-1764) -- The Reverend John 'Mad Jack' Allington, rector of Barford (1795-1863) -- The Reverend James Woodforde, vicar of Weston Longville (1740-1803) -- The Reverend Jack Russell, vicar of Swimbridge (1795-1883) -- The Reverend Jeremiah Carter, curate of Lastingham (1701-c.1780) -- The Very Reverend William Buckland, dean of Westminster (1784-1856) -- Prodigal Sons : -- The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Michael Ramsey, Archbishop of Canterbury and primate of all England (1904-1988) -- The Right Reverend Launcelot Fleming, bishop of Norwich (1906-1990) -- Canon Sydney Smith, canon of St Paul's Cathedral (1771-1845) -- The Reverend William Webb Ellis, rector of St Clement Danes (1806-72) -- The Reverend Joseph Wolff, vicar of Isle Brewers (1795-1862) -- The Right Reverend Douglas Feaver, bishop of Peterborough (1914-97) -- The Reverend Charles Lowder, vicar of St Peter's, London Docks (1820-80) -- The Right Reverend Howell Witt, bishop of North West Australia (1920-98) -- The Reverend Donald Pateman, vicar of St Mark's, Dalston (1915-98) -- The Reverend Hugh Grimes, chaplain of Vienna (1875-1962) -- Rogues : -- The Reverend James Hackman, vicar of Wiveton (1752-79) -- The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Lancelot Blackburne, Archbishop of York (1658-1743) -- The Very Reverend Marco de Dominis, dean of Windsor and sometime Archbishop of Split (1560-1624) -- The Reverend Dr Sir Robert Peat, perpetual curate of New Brentford (1772-1837) -- The Reverend James Stanier Clarke, chaplain to the prince of Wales (1762-1834) -- The Reverend Bruce Cornford, vicar of St Matthew's, Southsea (1867-1940) -- The Reverend Harold Davidson, rector of Stiffkey (1875-1937) -- The Reverend Sir Henry Bate-Dudley, rector of Willingham (1745-1824) -- The Honourable and Reverend William Capel, vicar of Watford (1775-1854) -- The Reverend Dr Edward Drax Free, rector of All Saints, Sutton (1764-1843);Judge not, lest ye be judged. This timeless wisdom has guided the Anglican Church for hundreds of years, and has fostered a certain tolerance of eccentricity among its members. The Reverend Robert Hawker invented the Harvest Festival, but he also excommunicated a cat for mousing on Sundays. Bishop Lancelot Fleming would commandeer Navy helicopters when he was late for service. The Reverend John Allington -- "Mad Jack," to his friends -- wore a leopard skin instead of a surplice, and insisted on being carried around in a coffin. A Field Guide to the English Clergy celebrates the cream of the crop: the drinkers (and publicans), the inventors, the lion tamers, the suicidal missionaries, and even one piratical Archbishop. But despite their sometimes bizarre behavior, many in the clergy saw the church as their true calling. After all, who cares if you're wearing red high heels when there are souls to be saved?