Richard Cox

Richard Cox, D.D. was Dean of Westminster from 1549-1553 but he has no memorial at the Abbey and is buried at Ely Cathedral.

His life

He was the son of Richard Cox of Whaddon in Buckinghamshire and was born about 1500. Educated at Eton College and Cambridge he was later Head Master at Eton. He was rector of Kelshall in Hertfordshire and chaplain both to the king and Thomas Cranmer. Among other posts he was Archdeacon of Ely cathedral, prebendary of Lincoln cathedral, Dean of Osney and of Christ Church, Oxford, Canon of Windsor, and Lord High Almoner to the King.

Deprived of all his appointments in 1553 for his part in the Lady Jane Grey affair he was imprisoned in the Marshalsea but released on house arrest on 19th August. He then escaped to the continent, only returning after Elizabeth I's accession when he was made Bishop of Ely in 1559.

His first wife Jane, whom he married in about 1547, died in 1568. His second wife was Jane (nee Awder, widow of William Turner, Dean of Wells). Seven children survived him.  Daughter Joan married John Parker (son of Matthew), and son Richard was knighted. He died 22nd July 1581.

Further reading

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 2004

"Acts of the Dean and Chapter of Westminster 1543-1609" edited C. Knighton, 2 vols, 1997

His will is in the National Archives at Kew

Two portraits of him are at Trinity College, Cambridge. Others are at King's College Cambridge, and the Bishop's palace at Ely. Some correspondence is at Lambeth Palace Library.