William Moreton
Irish bishop
William Moreton (1641 – 21 November 1715) was an English prelate in the Church of Ireland who served as the Bishop of Meath from 1705 to 1716.
Life
He was born in Chester in 1641, eldest son of Edward Moreton (1599–1665), prebendary of Chester.
His father, son of William Moreton of Moreton, was educated at Eton and King's College, Cambridge, was incorporated at Oxford M.A. 1626 and D.D. 1636; was appointed vicar of Grinton, Yorkshire (1634); rector of Tattenhall, Cheshire, chaplain to Sir Thomas Coventry, lord keeper, and prebendary of Chester, all in 1637; and vicar of Sefton, Lancashire, in 1639. It appears that his property was sequestrated in 1645, and that he was nominated by Lord Byron a commissioner to superintend the capitulation of Chester to the parliamentary forces in January 1646.
Restored to his benefices at the Restoration, he died at Chester on 28 February 1664–65, and was buried in Sefton Church, where a Latin inscription commemorates his equanimity under misfortune.
He matriculated at Christ Church, Oxford, on 5 December 1660.
William graduated B.A. 19 February 1664, M.A. 21 March 1667, and B.D. 3 November 1674.
In 1669, he became rector of Churchill, Worcestershire, and was also for some time chaplain to Aubrey Vere, earl of Oxford.
In 1677, he accompanied James, duke of Ormonde, lord-lieutenant, to Ireland, as his chaplain; and on 12 December of that year was created D.D. of Oxford by special decree.
A few days later, 22 December, he was appointed dean of Christ Church, Dublin, in which capacity Mant speaks of him as 'the vehement and pertinacious opponent of the Archbishop of Dublin's episcopal jurisdiction.'
On 13 February 1682, he was appointed to the see of Kildare, with the preceptory of Tully, and was consecrated in Christ Church, Dublin, on the 19th by the Archbishop of Armagh.
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