William Lancaster (Oxford)

William Lancaster D.D. (1650–1717) was an English churchman and academic, Provost of The Queen's College, Oxford.

He was son of William Lancaster of Sockbridge in Barton parish, Westmoreland, born there in 1650. He kept for some time the parish school of Barton, and at his death he added an increase to the master's salary. The school is near Lowther Castle, and when Sir John Lowther's son John, afterwards John Lowther, 1st Viscount Lonsdale, went to Queen's College, Oxford, he was attended by Lancaster, who entered as batler on 23 June 1670, and matriculated on 1 July aged 20. He graduated with a B.A. on 6 February 1675 and M.A. on 1 July 1678 (after his degree had been stopped for some words against John Clerke, of All Souls College, the proctor, but was carried in congregation), B.D. 12 April 1690, and D.D. 8 July 1692. On 20 December 1674, he was elected tabarder of his college, and on 15 March 1679 was both elected and admitted fellow.

About 1676, he was sent to Paris with a state grant on the recommendation of Sir Joseph Williamson (who believed in training promising university young men for public life), and later resumed his career at Oxford. He acted when junior fellow as chaplain to William Feilding, 3rd Earl of Denbigh, and was collated on 1 September 1682 to the vicarage of Oakley, Buckinghamshire, which he held until 1690. In college, he became celebrated as tutor. From the beginning of 1686 till 1 August he was junior bursar, for the next four years he held the post of senior bursar, and he retained his fellowship until his marriage, very early in 1696. Lancaster became domestic chaplain to Henry Compton, bishop of London, on whose nomination he was instituted (22 July 1692) to the vicarage of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, London. The presentation, however, was claimed by Queen Anne, and judgment was given in her favour in a legal case; she presented Dr. Nicholas Gouge. Lancaster was a popular preacher, and John Evelyn records a visit to hear him on 20 November 1692. At Gouge's death he was again instituted (31 October 1694).

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