Richard Culmer
Encyclopedia
Sir Richard Culmer is listed by the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography as being of unknown parentage, although some sources indicate that he was the eldest son of Sir Henry Culmer (c. 1574-1633), the first Baron Culmer. According to this tree, Sir Henry, himself a son of a Henry Culmer, had married Mary Baldwyn in 1602, and was created a Baron by King Charles I
in 1630, although this is not listed in Burke's Peerage
.
Culmer was the son of Sir Richard Culmer by his first wife and was born in 1640/1. The elder Richard was buried in the parish church of Monkton
, on the Isle of Thanet. Of his legacies was the endowment on Broadstairs
of an area of six acres (24,000 m²) of ground for the poor of the parish. The name survives to this day as "Culmer's Allotment".
Richard Culmer had been educated at Magdalene College, Cambridge
: he matriculated as Sizar
in 1613, B.A.
in 1618, and M.A. in 1621. He was ordained in the Diocese of Peterborough
that September, and then returned to Kent, marrying Katherine Johnson in 1624. He then established himself as a Puritan
Minister of some note. He was generally known in Kent as "Blue Dick Culmer" on account of his refusing to wear the usual black gown of a cleric, preferring blue.
He was suspended in 1635, and restored to the clergy in 1638, being appointed as a curate
in the Parish of Harbledown
.
In 1643 Culmer considered for the living of the parish of Chartham
. As a General serving under Oliver Cromwell
he became quite notorious, so disliked that the parishioners of Harbledown
objected, that so long as it was not Culmer they cared not who ministered unto them. This view prevailed and another person was appointed, with Culmer being appointed to the Commission for the demolition of superstitious (Catholic
) monuments.
Already disliked, he delighted in his promotion as a Commissioner, and set about his task at Canterbury
with enthusiasm, so much so that his parishioners would openly flock to attack him, to the extent that soon he had to carry out his task with Cromwell's soldiers to protect him.
He had been known to have despised William Laud
, who had him committed to the Fleet for refusing to read the Declaration of Sports
after his services in Church, and his objections to the book were used in Laud's trial for treason, in 1644.
At the end of 1644, he was appointed as one of six preachers at Canterbury Cathedral
, and for his services to Parliament he was offered the living of the parish of Minster-in-Thanet
in 1645. At his ordination, his parishioners locked the church against him, and when he attempted to break in to the church he was mobbed and beaten. So despised was he that the parish refused to pay tithes to support him, but then offered his arrears if he would but go away! To this day, his name does not appear in the list of incumbents displayed in the church porch.
He later found himself under arrest in London, and asked why he had destroyed the figure of Christ in the Cathedral windows, and not that of the Devil, he merely replied that Parliament's orders were for the removal of the same and made no reference to Satan.
Described as "odious for his zeal and fury", he survived in his position until 1660, shortly before the Restoration of Charles II
.
He then moved to Monkton
, where he died at the Parsonage House on 20 March 1662, and was buried two days later.
The above-mentioned family tree states that he married in 1639 to Miss Beeson, and again twenty years later to a Dutch woman, the widow Mrs. Bocher of Haarlem in Holland, "the country in which he died in 1669". This would appear to be based on a record in the International Genealogical Index
, listing a Richard Culmer, 1612-1669, who married a "Mrs Bechor" of Haarlem, born 1638. This record, however, is one submitted by a member of the church, and does not appear to be linked to any source document, and the theory that it is "Blue Dick" is not supported by Culmer's dates of matriculation and graduation.
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
in 1630, although this is not listed in Burke's Peerage
Burke's Peerage
Burke's Peerage publishes authoritative, in-depth historical guides to the royal and titled families of the United Kingdom, such as Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, and of many other countries. Founded in 1826 by British genealogist John Burke Esq., and continued by his son, Sir John...
.
Culmer was the son of Sir Richard Culmer by his first wife and was born in 1640/1. The elder Richard was buried in the parish church of Monkton
Monkton, Kent
Monkton is a village and civil parish in the Thanet District of Kent, England. The village is located at the south-western edge of the Isle of Thanet and is situated mainly along the B2047 road, leading off the A263 road between Canterbury and Ramsgate. The civil parish stretches south to the...
, on the Isle of Thanet. Of his legacies was the endowment on Broadstairs
Broadstairs
Broadstairs is a coastal town on the Isle of Thanet in the Thanet district of east Kent, England, about south-east of London. It is part of the civil parish of Broadstairs and St Peter's, which includes St. Peter's and had a population in 2001 of about 24,000. Situated between Margate and...
of an area of six acres (24,000 m²) of ground for the poor of the parish. The name survives to this day as "Culmer's Allotment".
Richard Culmer had been educated at Magdalene College, Cambridge
Magdalene College, Cambridge
Magdalene College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1428 as a Benedictine hostel, in time coming to be known as Buckingham College, before being refounded in 1542 as the College of St Mary Magdalene...
: he matriculated as Sizar
Sizar
At Trinity College, Dublin and the University of Cambridge, a sizar is a student who receives some form of assistance such as meals, lower fees or lodging during his or her period of study, in some cases in return for doing a defined job....
in 1613, B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1618, and M.A. in 1621. He was ordained in the Diocese of Peterborough
Peterborough
Peterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
that September, and then returned to Kent, marrying Katherine Johnson in 1624. He then established himself as a Puritan
Puritan
The Puritans were a significant grouping of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. Puritanism in this sense was founded by some Marian exiles from the clergy shortly after the accession of Elizabeth I of England in 1558, as an activist movement within the Church of England...
Minister of some note. He was generally known in Kent as "Blue Dick Culmer" on account of his refusing to wear the usual black gown of a cleric, preferring blue.
He was suspended in 1635, and restored to the clergy in 1638, being appointed as a curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
in the Parish of Harbledown
Harbledown
Harbledown is a village to the west of Canterbury, Kent in England, now contiguous with the city, although still a separate village. It forms part of the civil parish of Harbledown and Rough Common. The High Street is a conservation area with many fascinating colloquial buildings either side of a...
.
In 1643 Culmer considered for the living of the parish of Chartham
Chartham
Chartham is a village and civil parish in Kent, west of Canterbury.It is located on the Great Stour river which provided power for the paper mills up until some point before 1955. The name literally means ‘Village on rough ground’, and the word "Chart" is also found in other villages in Kent with...
. As a General serving under Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
he became quite notorious, so disliked that the parishioners of Harbledown
Harbledown
Harbledown is a village to the west of Canterbury, Kent in England, now contiguous with the city, although still a separate village. It forms part of the civil parish of Harbledown and Rough Common. The High Street is a conservation area with many fascinating colloquial buildings either side of a...
objected, that so long as it was not Culmer they cared not who ministered unto them. This view prevailed and another person was appointed, with Culmer being appointed to the Commission for the demolition of superstitious (Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
) monuments.
Already disliked, he delighted in his promotion as a Commissioner, and set about his task at Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
with enthusiasm, so much so that his parishioners would openly flock to attack him, to the extent that soon he had to carry out his task with Cromwell's soldiers to protect him.
He had been known to have despised William Laud
William Laud
William Laud was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1633 to 1645. One of the High Church Caroline divines, he opposed radical forms of Puritanism...
, who had him committed to the Fleet for refusing to read the Declaration of Sports
Declaration of Sports
The Declaration of Sports was a declaration of James I of England issued in 1617 listing the sports that were permitted on Sundays and other holy days. It was originally issued in consultation with Thomas Morton, bishop of Chester, to resolve a dispute in Lancashire between the Puritans and the...
after his services in Church, and his objections to the book were used in Laud's trial for treason, in 1644.
At the end of 1644, he was appointed as one of six preachers at Canterbury Cathedral
Canterbury Cathedral
Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, Kent, is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England and forms part of a World Heritage Site....
, and for his services to Parliament he was offered the living of the parish of Minster-in-Thanet
Minster-in-Thanet
Minster-in-Thanet, also known as Minster, is a village and civil parish in the Thanet District of Kent, England. The village is situated to the west of Ramsgate and to the north east of Canterbury; it lies just south west of Kent International Airport and just north of the River Stour...
in 1645. At his ordination, his parishioners locked the church against him, and when he attempted to break in to the church he was mobbed and beaten. So despised was he that the parish refused to pay tithes to support him, but then offered his arrears if he would but go away! To this day, his name does not appear in the list of incumbents displayed in the church porch.
He later found himself under arrest in London, and asked why he had destroyed the figure of Christ in the Cathedral windows, and not that of the Devil, he merely replied that Parliament's orders were for the removal of the same and made no reference to Satan.
Described as "odious for his zeal and fury", he survived in his position until 1660, shortly before the Restoration of Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
.
He then moved to Monkton
Monkton, Kent
Monkton is a village and civil parish in the Thanet District of Kent, England. The village is located at the south-western edge of the Isle of Thanet and is situated mainly along the B2047 road, leading off the A263 road between Canterbury and Ramsgate. The civil parish stretches south to the...
, where he died at the Parsonage House on 20 March 1662, and was buried two days later.
The above-mentioned family tree states that he married in 1639 to Miss Beeson, and again twenty years later to a Dutch woman, the widow Mrs. Bocher of Haarlem in Holland, "the country in which he died in 1669". This would appear to be based on a record in the International Genealogical Index
International Genealogical Index
The International Genealogical Index is a database of genealogical records, compiled from several sources, and maintained by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
, listing a Richard Culmer, 1612-1669, who married a "Mrs Bechor" of Haarlem, born 1638. This record, however, is one submitted by a member of the church, and does not appear to be linked to any source document, and the theory that it is "Blue Dick" is not supported by Culmer's dates of matriculation and graduation.