Lancelot Andrewes

Lancelot Andrewes was Dean of Westminster from 1601-1605 but he has no memorial in the Abbey. He has a fine monument in Southwark cathedral in London where he is buried.

His Life

He was a son of Thomas (died 1593), a mariner from Essex, and Joan, and educated at Merchant Taylors' school and Cambridge. From 1589-1605 he was Master of Pembroke College, and was author of many sermons and a great Anglican devotional work Preces Privatae. He was known as one of the best linguists in Europe and had a crucial role as a translator for the King James version of the Bible.

Before being made Dean at Westminster Abbey in July 1601 he held many posts including his first living at St Giles, Cripplegate in London, canon of St Paul's cathedral, prebend at Southwell Minster, chaplain to the Archbishop of Canterbury and to the Queen, and Canon of Westminster from 1597-1601.

In 1605 he was made Bishop of Chichester, and was Dean of the Chapel Royal, and bishop at Ely and at Winchester. He died on 25th September 1626.

His brother Nicholas, a London merchant, was Chapter Clerk and Registrar at the Abbey from 1603-1607, who, along with another brother Thomas, died of the plague.  His brother Roger (1574-1635) was Master of Jesus College, Cambridge and Chancellor of Chichester Cathedral.

Further reading

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 2004

Acts of the Dean and Chapter of Westminster 1543-1609 2 vols, edited C.S. Knighton, 1999

Westminster Abbey Reformed 1540-1640 edited by C.S. Knighton and R. Mortimer, 2003

Life and death of Lancelot Andrewes...and memoir by Henry Isaacson [Lancelot's household servant], by S.Isaacson, 2025

Lancelot Andrewes selected sermons and lectures edited Peter McCullough, 2005