John Hutchins (antiquarian)

The Reverend John Hutchins (1698–1773) was Church of England clergyman, and English topographer, who is best known as a county historian of Dorset.

John Hutchins was born at Bradford Peverell, Dorset, on 21 September 1698 He was the son of Richard Hutchins (died 1734), who was for many years curate there, and from 1693 rector of All Saints', Dorchester. His mother, Anne, died on 9 April 1707, and was buried in Bradford Peverell Church. His early education was under the Rev. William Thornton, master of Dorchester Grammar School, and on 30 May 1718 he matriculated at Hart Hall, Oxford. In the next spring (10 April) he migrated to Balliol College, and graduated B.A. on 18 January 1722, but for some unknown reason became M.A. from Magdalene College, Cambridge, in 1730.

Late in 1722 or early in 1723 he was ordained, and served as curate and usher to George Marsh, who from 1699 to 1737 was vicar of Milton Abbas and the master of its grammar school. In his native county Hutchins remained for the rest of his life. Through the interest of Jacob Bancks of Milton, he was instituted to the rectory of Swyre on 22 August, and to that of Melcombe Horsey in 1733. He became rector of Holy Trinity, Wareham, on 8 March 1744, but he retained the cures of Swyre and Wareham until his death. Political agitation among his parishioners at Wareham involved him in difficulties, and his weak voice and growing deafness diminished his influence in the pulpit.

On Sunday, 25 July 1762, when the town of Wareham was devastated by fire and his rectory-house was burnt to ashes, his topographical papers were rescued by Mrs. Hutchins at the risk of her life. At the end of his days Hutchins was seized by a paralytic stroke, but he still laboured at his history of Dorset.

On 21 June 1773 Hutchins died, and was buried in the church of St. Mary's, Wareham, in the old chapel under its south aisle. A monument on the north wall of the church commemorated his memory. An engraving by John Collimore of a portrait of Hutchins by Cantlo Bestland appeared in Peregrine Bingham's Memoir (1813). Hutchins' library was sold by Thomas Payne in 1774.

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