Denis Granville 1637-1703

Denis GRANVILLE or GRENVILLE 1637-1703

Biographical Note

Born at Kilkhampton, Cornwall, son of Sir Bevil Grenville, who died fighting for the royalist cause at the Battle of Lansdowne, 1643. MA Exeter College, Oxford 1660, DD 1670. Vicar of Kilkhampton 1661, prebendary and archdeacon of Durham 1662, rector of Elwick, co. Durham 1664, of Sedgefield 1667. He was a close ally of his patron and father in law John Cosin, Bishop of Durham, whose lead he followed in seeking to impose ecclesiastical discipline. He was also extravagant and financially imprudent, accumulating debts throughout his career, despite high income. He was appointed Dean of Durham in 1684. Loyal to the established church, he sided with James II following William III’s invasion, fled to France in 1689, and was formally deprived of his preferments in 1691. He spent the rest of his life associated with James II’s exiled court in France, although he was not well treated by that predominantly Roman Catholic establishment.

Books

Granville’s library was purchased in 1691, after his deprivation, by Sir George Wheler (1650-1723]], prebendary of Durham Cathedral) for £221.

Characteristic Markings

None of Granville’s books have been identified.

Sources

• Marshall, William. "Granville [formerly Grenville], Denis (1637–1703), dean of Durham and nonjuring Church of England clergyman." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
• Whiting, C. Autobiographies and letters of Thomas Comber, v.2, 1947.