Thomas Lamplugh (1615 – 5 May 1691) was an English churchman who ended up being Archbishop of York
He was the son of Christopher Lamplugh of Little Riston, Yorkshire and his wife Anne, daughter and coheir of Thomas Roper of Octon in the East Riding of Yorkshire. Many sources incorrectly cite his father as Thomas an MP for Cumberland, whose family had been seated at Dovenby in that county for a number of generations. There is an interpolation in the parish register of Lamplugh, Cumbria which has his baptism taking place on 13 June 1615. In 1676, he succeeded Anthony Sparrow as Bishop of Exeter.
On receiving the news of the arrival of William of Orange at Brixham in Torbay, Bishop Lamplugh delivered a public address, in which he exhorted the people of his diocese to remain faithful to King James II. He fled to London, together with Dr. Annesley, the Dean. As a reward for Lamplugh's loyalty, James procured him the Archbishopric of York, which had been kept vacant for two years. He was confirmed in his new see before William's arrival in London, but his Jacobitism was of no very profound character and did not prevent him from assisting at William's coronation. He died at York in 1691.
J. B. Morell (York Monuments p.38) states that Lamplugh's monument in York Minster shows him "standing, appropriately grasping the pastoral staff that he finally secured by making his views agree with those in power as each change took place – he was a veritable Vicar of Bray. Drake quotes the French proverb: "To lie like an epitaph", and it might well e applied to the one on this monument, which reads: "At length, though he had solicitously declined that dignity, he was promoted to this metropolitan see ... "
| Church of England titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Anthony Sparrow |
Bishop of Exeter 1676–1688 |
Succeeded by Jonathan Trelawny |
| Vacant
Title last held by
John Dolben |
Archbishop of York 1688–1691 |
Succeeded by John Sharp |