Ralph Churton facts for kids

Ralph Churton (born in 1754, died in 1831) was an English churchman, which means he was an important person in the church. He was also an academic, meaning he worked at a university, and a biographer, someone who writes about other people's lives. He held a special church role called the Archdeacon of St David's.

Ralph Churton's Early Life and Education

Ralph Churton was born on December 8, 1754, in a place called the Snabb, in Bickley, Cheshire, England. He was the younger of two sons. Sadly, he lost both his parents when he was very young.

After his parents passed away, a kind friend named Dr. Thomas Townson, who was a church leader in Malpas, helped him. Dr. Townson suggested that Ralph go to Brasenose College, Oxford, a famous university, in 1772. He even paid for half of Ralph's university costs!

Ralph worked hard and earned his first degree (B.A.) in 1775. He then earned a higher degree (M.A.) in 1778. In the same year, he was chosen to be a "fellow" of his college, which is a special academic position.

Church Roles and Important Work

Ralph Churton became a well-known speaker and leader in the church.

• In 1785, he was chosen to give the Bampton lecture, a series of important talks at Oxford University.
• In 1788, he became a "Whitehall preacher," a special role given by a bishop.
• In 1792, he was given the job of rector (a church leader) at Middleton Cheney in Northamptonshire.
• In 1805, he became the Archdeacon of St David's. An archdeacon is a senior church official who helps a bishop manage a large area.

Ralph Churton passed away in Middleton Cheney on March 28, 1831.

Ralph Churton's Writings

Besides giving sermons and writing about church topics, Ralph Churton was known for writing biographies. Biographies are books that tell the life story of a real person. Some of his important works include:

• Eight Sermons on the Prophecies respecting the Destruction of Jerusalem (1785): These were talks he gave at Oxford University.
• A memoir of Thomas Townson, D.D. (1793): This was a book about his kind friend and helper, Dr. Thomas Townson.
• The Lives of William Smyth, Bishop of Lincoln, and Sir Richard Sutton, knight (1800): This book told the life stories of the people who founded Brasenose College, where Ralph studied.
• The Life of Alexander Nowell, Dean of St. Paul's (1809): This was a detailed biography of a famous church leader.

Ralph Churton's Family Life

In 1796, Ralph Churton married Mary Calcot. They had eight children together, but only four of them lived longer than their father. Two of his sons, Edward Churton and William Ralph Churton the elder, also became writers.