Oliver King

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bath Abbey at sunset
Bath Abbey at sunset
Oliver King
Denomination Catholic
Senior posting
See Diocese of Bath and Wells
Title Bishop of Bath and Wells
Period in office 1495–1503
Predecessor Richard Foxe
Successor Adriano de Castello
Religious career
Previous bishoprics Bishop of Exeter
Personal
Date of death August 29, 1503

Oliver King (c. 1432 - August 29, 1503) was a Bishop of Exeter and Bishop of Bath and Wells who restored Bath Abbey after 1500.

Contents

[edit] Life

Educated at Eton, King became a priest and was appointed Bishop of Exeter on October 1, 1492, consecrated on February 3, 1493.[1] He was then translated to the see of Bath and Wells on November 6, 1495. He died on August 29, 1503.[2]

[edit] Restoration of Bath Abbey

King organised the restoration of Bath Abbey after 1500. The story of the refounding is told on the front of the Abbey in carved Bath stone. King had a dream in which he saw a host of Angels on a ladder, the Holy Trinity and an olive tree with a crown on it. He heard a voice:

'Let an Olive establish the crown, and let a King restore the Church.'

He believed this was a call for him to support the candidature of Henry Tudor as King, and to restore the Abbey. These images are carved on the West Front of the Abbey with coats of arms of the Montague Family (who paid for the carved wooden doors) and Henry VII's coat of arms. There are also statues of the twelve apostles, including a large statue of St Peter and one of Saint Paul.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Fryde Handbook of British Chronology p. 247
  2. ^ Fryde Handbook of British Chronology p. 228

[edit] References

  • Fryde, E. B.; Greenway, D. E.; Porter, S.; Roy, I. (1996). Handbook of British Chronology, Third Edition, revised, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-56350-X. 
Roman Catholic Church titles
Preceded by
Richard Foxe		 Bishop of Exeter
1492–1495		 Succeeded by
Richard Redman
Preceded by
Richard Foxe		 Bishop of Bath and Wells
1495–1503		 Succeeded by
Adriano de Castello


Persondata
NAME King, Oliver
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION Bishop of Exeter; Bishop of Bath and Wells
DATE OF BIRTH
PLACE OF BIRTH
DATE OF DEATH August 29, 1503
PLACE OF DEATH
 This article about a British Catholic bishop or archbishop is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.