{"id":18210,"date":"2025-08-07T08:30:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-07T07:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/historyofparliament.com\/?p=18210"},"modified":"2025-08-07T10:22:58","modified_gmt":"2025-08-07T09:22:58","slug":"john-potter-an-unusual-archbishop-of-canterbury","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/historyofparliament.com\/2025\/08\/07\/john-potter-an-unusual-archbishop-of-canterbury\/","title":{"rendered":"John Potter, an unusual Archbishop of Canterbury"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In the latest blog for the Georgian Lords, Dr Robin Eagles<\/a> examines the career of one of the lesser known Archbishops of Canterbury, who was able to make use of his August 1715 sermon celebrating the accession of George I to press forward his career in the Church.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every 30 January, the rhythm of the parliamentary session in the 17th and 18th centuries was adjusted to make way for the annual commemoration sermon, marking the death of Charles I in 1649. It usually fell to the most junior of the bishops to preach to the Lords in Westminster Abbey, while a senior member of the clergy would perform the same service for the Commons in St Margaret\u2019s. Themed as they were around the subject of expiation for the sins of the nation, the sermons became steadily less well attended as the years went by and by the second half of the 18th century some, like John Wilkes<\/a>, thought that they should be scrapped and replaced with a day of national rejoicing. Wilkes always made a point of staying away from the chamber on 30 January.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/a>
British School|Bowles, Thomas; Westminster Abbey; Government Art Collection; http:\/\/www.artuk.org\/artworks\/westminster-abbey-27790<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

In a similar (though more celebratory) way, the date of the current monarch\u2019s accession was also the occasion for the Members decamping from their chambers and heading across the way to listen to a sermon. For those living under George I, this took place on 1 August and the very first anniversary of his accession in 1715 was marked with an address by the newly minted bishop of Oxford, John Potter (1673\/4-1747).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Potter\u2019s background was unusual, though not entirely unique, for an 18th-century bishop. His father had been a linen draper in Wakefield and, more to the point, had been a nonconformist. Potter had been raised as such and educated at the local grammar school (now one of the constituent parts of the Wakefield Grammar School Foundation<\/a>). From there he proceeded to Oxford, where he transformed himself into a high church Anglican, much to his father\u2019s disgust. Although high church, and with a particular interest in patristics (the study of the early church), Potter remained a confirmed Whig and quickly attracted patronage from some extremely influential people.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/a>
Hudson, Thomas; John Potter (c.1674-1747), Archbishop of Canterbury; Lambeth Palace; http:\/\/www.artuk.org\/artworks\/john-potter-c-16741747-archbishop-of-canterbury-87146<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

From University College, where he had been an undergraduate, Potter proceeded to Lincoln College as a fellow and in 1699, the year of his ordination to the priesthood, he was appointed one of the chaplains to Bishop Hough of Lichfield and Coventry. In 1704, he traded up becoming one of Archbishop Tenison\u2019s chaplains and was thought so closely tied to Tenison that he was known as his \u2018darling scribbler\u2019. Two years later, he achieved the key promotion to royal chaplain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a clergyman at Court and with close connexions to Oxford, it is perhaps not surprising that he came to the notice of the duke and duchess of Marlborough, and when the regius professorship of divinity became vacant at Oxford, he was their candidate for the place. In his way was the rival claim of George Smalridge, backed by Robert Harley<\/a> and others, but in the end the Marlboroughs won out (as was so often the case) and in 1708 Potter became Professor Potter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the next few years, Potter focused his attentions on his role at the university, never apparently being considered seriously for any of the vacant bishoprics that came up. Indeed, in 1714 it was Smalridge who was promoted first, taking on the poverty-stricken bishopric of Bristol. However, soon after the accession of George I another opportunity arose following the death of Gilbert Burnet, bishop of Salisbury. Thus, when Bishop Talbot of Oxford was translated to Burnet\u2019s vacant see, Potter was appointed to replace him at Oxford.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Potter\u2019s 1 August sermon was his first major opportunity to make his mark in his new role. Unsurprisingly, he attracted criticism from Jacobite Tory opponents like Thomas Hearne, at that point still in post as one of the librarians at the Bodleian<\/a>, but soon to be forced out as he was unwilling to take the oaths to George I. Recording the sermon a few weeks later, Hearne noted that it had been preached by \u2018our present sneaking, poor-spirited, cringing, whiggish bishop\u2019. The content, he thought, was \u2018vile, silly, injudicious, illiterate, & roguish stuff, sufficiently showing what the author is\u2019. [Hearne, v. 122] Hearne never lost an opportunity of deriding Potter using terms like \u2018snivelling\u2019 or \u2018white-livered\u2019 to describe him. [Hearne, vi. 123; ix. 360]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Potter\u2019s chosen text was Psalm<\/em> 20, verse 5: \u2018We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners\u2019. His theme, obviously enough, was the blessings the nation had received by the peaceful succession of the House of Hanover, and how narrowly they had avoided the prospect of civil war. Not only was the nation peaceful, he urged but he may also have had half a mind on his own significant progress when he argued:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Neither can there be any just complaint, that arts and industry, virtue and public services want suitable encouragement; where the way lies open for ever man to advance himself to the highest honours and preferments and after he hath enjoyed the fruits of all his labour in his own person, there is as great certainty\u2026 that he shall transmit them entire to his posterity\u2026<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

As well as lauding the prospect before them under the house of Hanover, Potter also allowed himself some predictable venting against the horrors of life under a Catholic sovereign. Even other religions, he suggested, might be \u2018kind and merciful\u2019. He also trotted out the familiar theme of the importance of divine providence in settling King George among them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the next few years, Potter developed his role in the Church, becoming a close associate of William Wake, archbishop of Canterbury, and co-operating with him closely in opposing two pieces of government-backed legislation. He attracted attention for wading into the \u2018Bangorian controversy\u2019, criticizing the apparent Arianism of Benjamin Hoadly, bishop of Bangor. Even Hearne had to acknowledge that he did so \u2018very deservedly\u2019. [Hearne, vii. 82] He also became close to the Princess of Wales, the future Queen Caroline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When George I died it was widely rumoured that Potter would be promoted to Bath and Wells. Although that proved not to be the case (he seems to have turned the promotion down) he was the person selected to preach the new king and queen\u2019s coronation sermon in October 1727. Controversially, for a Whig, he used high church terminology to justify George\u2019s claim to the throne by hereditary right. [Smith, 37] More controversially, for a Whig, he also emphasized the need for the new king’s subjects to give their \u2018entire submission to his authority\u2019. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was to be another decade before Potter was finally rewarded with a richer diocese. On Wake\u2019s death in 1737, it was Potter who became Archbishop of Canterbury, rather than Bishop Hare of Chichester, backed by Sir Robert Walpole<\/a>. The translation was widely attributed to the queen\u2019s personal intervention and came just a few months before her death later that year<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Potter may not be the best-remembered of 18th-century bishops, or indeed a particularly memorable Archbishop of Canterbury. Much more attention is paid to his younger son, Thomas<\/a>, a Member of Parliament, associate of the so-called Hellfire Club<\/a> and a generally archetypal Georgian rake. But Potter was important in showing that the Church of England was able to adapt in the period, adopt language used by the Jacobites to justify the Hanoverian monarchy and was open to advancing the son of a Yorkshire linen draper, and a nonconformist one at that, to the highest place in the Church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RDEE<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further reading<\/strong>:
J.C.D. Clark, English Society 1688-1832<\/em>
Remarks and Collections of Thomas Hearne<\/em>, ed. C.E. Doble
Hannah Smith, Georgian Monarchy: Politics and Culture, 1714-1760<\/em>
The Theological Works of the most reverend Dr John Potter, late Archbishop of Canterbury<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In the latest blog for the Georgian Lords, Dr Robin Eagles examines the career of one of the lesser known Archbishops of Canterbury, who was able to make use of his August 1715 sermon celebrating the accession of George I to press forward his career in the Church. Every 30 January, the rhythm of the parliamentary session in the 17th and 18th centuries was adjusted … Continue reading John Potter, an unusual Archbishop of Canterbury<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":122411095,"featured_media":18220,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_crdt_document":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false},"categories":[11942052,7086711,20918757,774275574,774275646,774275649,774275560,578856807,774275741,785633,48731,774275643,774275558],"tags":[94450,142411,35890,38362,774275524,65986,284412,480091964,674992550,49246],"class_list":["post-18210","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-history-of-parliament-trust","category-17th-century-history","category-18th-century-history","category-charles-i","category-george-i","category-george-ii","category-georgian","category-georgian-lords","category-parliamentary-life","category-queen-anne","category-religious-history","category-robert-walpole","category-stuart","tag-archbishop-of-canterbury","tag-church-of-england","tag-featured","tag-georgian","tag-georgian-lords","tag-house-of-commons","tag-house-of-lords","tag-martyrdom-sermons","tag-parliamentary-sermons","tag-westminster"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historyofparliament.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/LSW_LPAL_75-001.jpg?fit=930%2C1200&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2QYNW-4JI","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":12035,"url":"https:\/\/historyofparliament.com\/2023\/10\/05\/early-career-hugh-boulter-archbishop-of-armagh\/","url_meta":{"origin":18210,"position":0},"title":"The Early Career of Hugh Boulter, Archbishop of Armagh","author":"stuart03630ebada","date":"October 5, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"In the latest blog for the Georgian Lords, Dr Stuart Handley re-examines the early career of Hugh Boulter, briefly bishop of Bristol before being posted to Ireland, offering some corrections to his life story. Thomas Lindsay, archbishop of Armagh, died in the summer of 1724, after a long illness. Although\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Georgian Lords"","block_context":{"text":"Georgian Lords","link":"https:\/\/historyofparliament.com\/category\/sections\/georgian-lords\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historyofparliament.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/bst_bmagg_k471-001.jpg?fit=954%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historyofparliament.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/bst_bmagg_k471-001.jpg?fit=954%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historyofparliament.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/bst_bmagg_k471-001.jpg?fit=954%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historyofparliament.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/bst_bmagg_k471-001.jpg?fit=954%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2166,"url":"https:\/\/historyofparliament.com\/2018\/02\/08\/reporting-the-house-of-lords-1660-1832\/","url_meta":{"origin":18210,"position":1},"title":"Reporting the House of Lords 1660-1832","author":"Robin Eagles","date":"February 8, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"The latest blog from the Georgian Lords, Dr Robin Eagles reports back from last month's conference of the British Society for Eighteenth Century Studies in Oxford, which members of the section attended to speak about the project. A month has now passed since members of the House of Lords 1715-90\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Georgian Lords"","block_context":{"text":"Georgian Lords","link":"https:\/\/historyofparliament.com\/category\/sections\/georgian-lords\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historyofparliament.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Holding-Featured-Image-4.jpeg?fit=1200%2C658&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historyofparliament.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Holding-Featured-Image-4.jpeg?fit=1200%2C658&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historyofparliament.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Holding-Featured-Image-4.jpeg?fit=1200%2C658&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historyofparliament.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Holding-Featured-Image-4.jpeg?fit=1200%2C658&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historyofparliament.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Holding-Featured-Image-4.jpeg?fit=1200%2C658&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2725,"url":"https:\/\/historyofparliament.com\/2019\/01\/10\/samuel-peploe-scourge-jacobites\/","url_meta":{"origin":18210,"position":2},"title":"Samuel Peploe: scourge of the Jacobites?","author":"stuart03630ebada","date":"January 10, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"In the latest blog for the Georgian Lords, Dr Stuart Handley, examines the career of the fierce anti-Jacobite clergyman, Samuel Peploe, whose tub-thumping sermons against the rebels in 1715 helped gain him promotion in the early Georgian church. Samuel Peploe was baptized in 1667, and after attending Oxford University, he\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Georgian Lords"","block_context":{"text":"Georgian Lords","link":"https:\/\/historyofparliament.com\/category\/sections\/georgian-lords\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Georgian lords 2","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historyofparliament.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/georgian-lords-2.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historyofparliament.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/georgian-lords-2.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historyofparliament.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/georgian-lords-2.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8317,"url":"https:\/\/historyofparliament.com\/2021\/11\/04\/seven-jobs-for-seven-brothers\/","url_meta":{"origin":18210,"position":3},"title":"Seven Jobs for Seven Brothers: The case of Bishop Reynolds of Lincoln","author":"stuart03630ebada","date":"November 4, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"In the latest blog for the Georgian Lords, Dr Stuart Handley considers the case of Bishop Reynolds of Lincoln, one of a minority in the episcopate to stand out against Walpole, possibly because of frustration both at his own lack of promotion, but also his endless efforts to find employment\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Georgian Lords"","block_context":{"text":"Georgian Lords","link":"https:\/\/historyofparliament.com\/category\/sections\/georgian-lords\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historyofparliament.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/llr_lcnug_1976_14-001-1.jpg?fit=944%2C732&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historyofparliament.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/llr_lcnug_1976_14-001-1.jpg?fit=944%2C732&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historyofparliament.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/llr_lcnug_1976_14-001-1.jpg?fit=944%2C732&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historyofparliament.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/llr_lcnug_1976_14-001-1.jpg?fit=944%2C732&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5199,"url":"https:\/\/historyofparliament.com\/2020\/07\/21\/york-1660-1760\/","url_meta":{"origin":18210,"position":4},"title":"York 1660-1760","author":"stuart03630ebada","date":"July 21, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"For this month's local history focus we are looking at the borough constituency of York. A city not unfamiliar with hosting parliaments, it was even suggested by the Prime Minister last week as a possible location for a temporary chamber during Westminster's Restoration and Renewal works. In the first of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Georgian Lords"","block_context":{"text":"Georgian Lords","link":"https:\/\/historyofparliament.com\/category\/sections\/georgian-lords\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historyofparliament.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/10997614673_43eece5c17_k-e1594989126383.jpg?fit=1200%2C956&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historyofparliament.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/10997614673_43eece5c17_k-e1594989126383.jpg?fit=1200%2C956&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historyofparliament.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/10997614673_43eece5c17_k-e1594989126383.jpg?fit=1200%2C956&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historyofparliament.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/10997614673_43eece5c17_k-e1594989126383.jpg?fit=1200%2C956&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historyofparliament.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/10997614673_43eece5c17_k-e1594989126383.jpg?fit=1200%2C956&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2362,"url":"https:\/\/historyofparliament.com\/2018\/06\/05\/when-is-a-degree-not-a-degree\/","url_meta":{"origin":18210,"position":5},"title":"When is a degree, not a degree?","author":"stuart03630ebada","date":"June 5, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"In the latest blog for the Georgian Lords, Dr Stuart Handley, senior research fellow for the Lords 1715-90 section, considers the topical issue of university degrees and the need for appropriate qualifications in the early eighteenth century. University degrees are the preoccupation of many students at this time of year.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Georgian Lords"","block_context":{"text":"Georgian Lords","link":"https:\/\/historyofparliament.com\/category\/sections\/georgian-lords\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Georgian lords 2","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historyofparliament.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/georgian-lords-2.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historyofparliament.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/georgian-lords-2.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historyofparliament.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/georgian-lords-2.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/historyofparliament.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18210","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/historyofparliament.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/historyofparliament.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/historyofparliament.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/122411095"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/historyofparliament.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18210"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/historyofparliament.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18210\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18224,"href":"https:\/\/historyofparliament.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18210\/revisions\/18224"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/historyofparliament.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18220"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/historyofparliament.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18210"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/historyofparliament.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18210"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/historyofparliament.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18210"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}