Theophilus Bolton, D.D. (1678–1744) was an Anglican bishop in Ireland in the 17th century. He is known for establishing the Bolton Library.[1][2]

He was born in County Mayo, and was the grandson of Richard Bolton, Lord Chancellor of Ireland from 1639 to 1648.[3] He was educated at Trinity College Dublin,[4] where he was elected a Scholar in 1695, and was ordained in 1703. He became Prebendary of Monmahenock[5] in 1707; and Rector of St. Nicholas Without, Dublin in 1713. A contemporary of Jonathan Swift,[6] he was appointed Vicar general to the Archbishop of Dublin in 1721 and Precentor of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin in 1722. Also that year he became Chancellor of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin and Bishop of Clonfert and Kilmacduagh.[7] He was translated to Elphin[8] in 1724[9] and finally to the Archbishopric of Cashel[10] in 1730.[11]

He died in post on 31 January 1744.[12]

References edit

  1. ^ Fryde, E. B.; Greenway, D. E.; Porter, S.; Roy, I. (1986). Handbook of British Chronology (3rd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 350–351. ISBN 0-521-56350-X.
  2. ^ Hayes, Kathryn (16 February 2016). "The rescue of Cashel's magical but mouldering library". The Irish Times. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  3. ^ Gilbert, John Thomas (1886). "Bolton, Richard" . In Stephen, Leslie (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 5. London: Smith, Elder & Co. pp. 328–390.
  4. ^ Raymond Refaussé, 'Bolton, Theophilus (1678–1744)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 accessed 2 Jan 2015
  5. ^ SCAC
  6. ^ Ricorso
  7. ^ "Fasti Ecclesiae Hibernicae: The succession of the prelates Volume 4" Cotton, H. p169 Dublin, Hodges & Smith, 1848-1878
  8. ^ "Titles and honours conferred by King George and his present majesty, in Great-Britain and Ireland" Philipps (sic), J: London, R.Gosling, 1728
  9. ^ "Fasti Ecclesiae Hibernicae: The succession of the prelates Volume 4" Cotton, H. p129 Dublin, Hodges & Smith, 1848-1878
  10. ^ Penn Libraries
  11. ^ "Fasti Ecclesiae Hibernicae: The succession of the prelates Volume 1" Cotton, H. p18 Dublin, Hodges & Smith, 1848-1878
  12. ^ Irish Legislation Database


Church of Ireland titles
Preceded by Bishop of Clonfert and Kilmacduagh
1722–1724
Succeeded by
Preceded by Bishop of Elphin
1724–1730
Succeeded by
Preceded by Archbishop of Cashel
1730–1744
Succeeded by