Robert Hovenden
Encyclopedia
Robert Hovenden D.D. was an English
academic administrator at the University of Oxford
.
Hovenden was elected Warden
(head) of All Souls College, Oxford
in 1571, a post he held until 1614.
During his time as Warden of All Souls College, he was also Vice-Chancellorof Oxford University during 1582–3.
Hovenden was a humanist
, undertook building work for All Souls College, and produced strip maps of the College estates.
. He was educated at Oxford, was elected a fellow of All Souls' College in 1565, and graduated B.A. in the following year, and M.A. in 1570. He became chaplain to Archbishop Matthew Parker
, and in 1570 or 1571 held the prebend of Clifton in Lincoln Cathedral
.
On 12 November 1571 Hovenden succeeded Richard Barber as Warden of the college. In 1575 he supplicated for the degree of B.D., but proceeded no further until 1580, when he performed all the exercises for the degrees of B.D. and D.D., making the pretensions of the Pope the subject of his disputations. He was licensed as D.D. in 1581. In 1582 he filled the office of vice-chancellor of the university. In 1581 he was holding, with his wardenship, the prebend of Henstridge in Wells Cathedral
, and in 1589 the third prebend in Canterbury Cathedral
.
Hovenden entered on his duties as warden of All Souls while the college was striving to preserve its Catholic ‘monuments of superstition’ in the chapel from demolition, but in December 1573 the orders of the commissioners in the matter were too stringent to be any longer disobeyed. Hovenden exerted himself, however, to secure the profitable management of the college estates. He caused to be made a series of maps of the collegiate property which are still in existence. He successfully resisted the request of Queen Elizabeth that the college should grant a lease of certain lands to Lady Stafford on terms which would have been disadvantageous to the college, although the lady herself offered the warden £100. Hovenden succeeded in recovering for the college the rectory of Stanton Harcourt
, Oxfordshire
, which had been granted to it by Cardinal Pole, but resumed by the crown on the accession of Elizabeth. He completed the Warden's lodgings, which had been begun about fifteen years before; enlarged the grounds of the college by adding the site of a house known as ‘The Rose,’ where there was a famous well; rearranged the old library, now disused, and converted into rooms; introduced a better system of keeping the college books and accounts; and put in order and catalogued the archives.
Hovenden rigorously upheld his authority within the college. With the aid of the visitor, Archbishop Edmund Grindal
, he compelled Fellows who desired to practise law or medicine in London to vacate their fellowships: his contest with Henry Wood, one of the Fellows, was related by John Strype
. He carefully scrutinised claims to fellowships on the plea of founder's kin.
The main alteration which he made in the constitution of the college was the admission of poor scholars (servientes), who in 1612 numbered thirty-one, but they were discontinued during the Commonwealth, and were later represented only by four bible clerks.
Hovenden died on 25 March 1614, and was buried in the college chapel, where there is his monument with an inscription. There was a bust of Hovenden in the Codrington Library at All Souls, executed by Sir Henry Cheere.
, and is doubtfully said to have had a daughter, Elizabeth, wife of Edward Chaloner, second son of Sir Thomas Chaloner of Steeple Claydon
, Buckinghamshire
.
He had two younger brothers. Christopher (1559–1610) was a fellow of All Souls College (1575–81), member of the Middle Temple, and rector of Stanton Harcourt (by presentation of All Souls). He was buried at Stanton Harcourt in 1610, having married Margery Powys, sister of the warden's wife. The warden erected a monument over his grave. The second brother, George (1562–1625), was rector of Harrietsham
, Kent
, a living also in the gift of All Souls, and held the tenth prebend in Canterbury Cathedral from 15 December 1609 till his death at Oxford 24 October 1625. Both brothers secured beneficial leases of college property.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
academic administrator at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
.
Hovenden was elected Warden
Warden (college)
A warden is the head of some colleges and other educational institutions. This applies especially at some colleges and institutions at the University of Oxford:* All Souls College* Greyfriars* Keble College* Merton College* New College* Nuffield College...
(head) of All Souls College, Oxford
All Souls College, Oxford
The Warden and the College of the Souls of all Faithful People deceased in the University of Oxford or All Souls College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England....
in 1571, a post he held until 1614.
During his time as Warden of All Souls College, he was also Vice-Chancellorof Oxford University during 1582–3.
Hovenden was a humanist
Humanism
Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
, undertook building work for All Souls College, and produced strip maps of the College estates.
Life
He was the eldest son of William Hoveden or Hovenden of CanterburyCanterbury
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....
. He was educated at Oxford, was elected a fellow of All Souls' College in 1565, and graduated B.A. in the following year, and M.A. in 1570. He became chaplain to Archbishop Matthew Parker
Matthew Parker
Matthew Parker was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1559 until his death in 1575. He was also an influential theologian and arguably the co-founder of Anglican theological thought....
, and in 1570 or 1571 held the prebend of Clifton in Lincoln Cathedral
Lincoln Cathedral
Lincoln Cathedral is a historic Anglican cathedral in Lincoln in England and seat of the Bishop of Lincoln in the Church of England. It was reputedly the tallest building in the world for 249 years . The central spire collapsed in 1549 and was not rebuilt...
.
On 12 November 1571 Hovenden succeeded Richard Barber as Warden of the college. In 1575 he supplicated for the degree of B.D., but proceeded no further until 1580, when he performed all the exercises for the degrees of B.D. and D.D., making the pretensions of the Pope the subject of his disputations. He was licensed as D.D. in 1581. In 1582 he filled the office of vice-chancellor of the university. In 1581 he was holding, with his wardenship, the prebend of Henstridge in Wells Cathedral
Wells Cathedral
Wells Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral in Wells, Somerset, England. It is the seat of the Bishop of Bath and Wells, who lives at the adjacent Bishop's Palace....
, and in 1589 the third prebend in 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....
.
Hovenden entered on his duties as warden of All Souls while the college was striving to preserve its Catholic ‘monuments of superstition’ in the chapel from demolition, but in December 1573 the orders of the commissioners in the matter were too stringent to be any longer disobeyed. Hovenden exerted himself, however, to secure the profitable management of the college estates. He caused to be made a series of maps of the collegiate property which are still in existence. He successfully resisted the request of Queen Elizabeth that the college should grant a lease of certain lands to Lady Stafford on terms which would have been disadvantageous to the college, although the lady herself offered the warden £100. Hovenden succeeded in recovering for the college the rectory of Stanton Harcourt
Stanton Harcourt
Stanton Harcourt is a village and civil parish in Oxfordshire about southeast of Witney and west of Oxford.-Archaeology:Within the parish of Stanton Harcourt is a series of paleochannel deposits buried beneath the second gravel terrace of the river Thames...
, Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
, which had been granted to it by Cardinal Pole, but resumed by the crown on the accession of Elizabeth. He completed the Warden's lodgings, which had been begun about fifteen years before; enlarged the grounds of the college by adding the site of a house known as ‘The Rose,’ where there was a famous well; rearranged the old library, now disused, and converted into rooms; introduced a better system of keeping the college books and accounts; and put in order and catalogued the archives.
Hovenden rigorously upheld his authority within the college. With the aid of the visitor, Archbishop Edmund Grindal
Edmund Grindal
Edmund Grindal was an English church leader who successively held the posts of Bishop of London, Archbishop of York and Archbishop of Canterbury during the reign of Elizabeth I of England.-Early life to the death of Edward VI:...
, he compelled Fellows who desired to practise law or medicine in London to vacate their fellowships: his contest with Henry Wood, one of the Fellows, was related by John Strype
John Strype
John Strype was an English historian and biographer. He was a cousin of Robert Knox, a famous sailor.Born in Houndsditch, London, he was the son of John Strype, or van Stryp, a member of a Huguenot family whom, in order to escape religious persecution within Brabant, had settled in East London...
. He carefully scrutinised claims to fellowships on the plea of founder's kin.
The main alteration which he made in the constitution of the college was the admission of poor scholars (servientes), who in 1612 numbered thirty-one, but they were discontinued during the Commonwealth, and were later represented only by four bible clerks.
Hovenden died on 25 March 1614, and was buried in the college chapel, where there is his monument with an inscription. There was a bust of Hovenden in the Codrington Library at All Souls, executed by Sir Henry Cheere.
Works
Hovenden wrote a life of Archbishop Chichele, the founder of All Souls', which was used by Sir Arthur Duck in his life of the archbishop (1617); and a catalogue of the wardens and fellows of the college.Family
Hovenden married Katherine, eldest daughter of Thomas Powys of AbingdonAbingdon
Abingdon may refer to the following places:In Australia :* Abingdon, Queensland, a place in Northern QueenslandIn Britain:*Abingdon, Oxfordshire**Abingdon School**Abingdon Abbey**Abingdon Lock**Abingdon Bridge**Abingdon Air & Country Show...
, and is doubtfully said to have had a daughter, Elizabeth, wife of Edward Chaloner, second son of Sir Thomas Chaloner of Steeple Claydon
Steeple Claydon
Steeple Claydon is a village and also a civil parish within the district of Aylesbury Vale in Buckinghamshire, England. It has an unusually high number of gingers, it is speculated that this is due to most people's mums also being their aunts. Steeple Claydon is located about four miles south of...
, Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
.
He had two younger brothers. Christopher (1559–1610) was a fellow of All Souls College (1575–81), member of the Middle Temple, and rector of Stanton Harcourt (by presentation of All Souls). He was buried at Stanton Harcourt in 1610, having married Margery Powys, sister of the warden's wife. The warden erected a monument over his grave. The second brother, George (1562–1625), was rector of Harrietsham
Harrietsham
Harrietsham is a rural village and civil parish in the Maidstone District of Kent, England. According to the United Kingdom Census 2001, it has a population of around 1,504. The parish is located on the slope of the North Downs, east of Maidstone...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, a living also in the gift of All Souls, and held the tenth prebend in Canterbury Cathedral from 15 December 1609 till his death at Oxford 24 October 1625. Both brothers secured beneficial leases of college property.