Leonard Jenyns, later known as Leonard Blomefield (25 May 1800–1 September 1893) was a clergyman-naturalist.
He was the youngest son of George Leonard Jenyns and his wife Mary (1763-1832) the daughter of Dr. William Heberden (1710–1801). The Jenyns lived on Bottisham Hall property which his father had inherited on the death of his cousin Soame Jenyns (1704–1787). He was vicar in Swaffham Bulbeck 1828-49.
In 1831, he was originally selected to be the gentleman naturalist on second voyage of HMS Beagle but rejected this offer on the grounds that he couldn't leave Swaffham Bulbeck because he was busy with his parish. Instead he suggested Charles Darwin.
Darwin, who respected him as a naturalist, and continued correspondence with him through publication of On the Origin of Species, wrote to Charles Lyell in Feb. 1860: "L. Jenyns has a really philosophical mind.... [H]e is more candid than any opposer I have heard of, for he says, though he cannot go so far as I do, yet he can give no good reason why he should not. It is funny how each man draws his own imaginary line at which to halt." [1]
In 1871, Jenyns inherited property from his father's cousin, Francis Blomefield. As a condition of the inheritance Jenyns changed his name to Blomefield by Royal Licence.