Nat Gould

Anthony Heathcote 1725-1772

Anthony Heathcote was the son of John Heathcote of Salford in Lancashire and his wife (forename unknown) Radcliffe of Eaves Knoll in Glossop, Derbyshire.

He was born in 1725 and educated at Derby School (1). He matriculated at Brasenose College at Oxford on 24 March 1743 aged 18 years, and attainted the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1746 and Master of Arts in 1749.

He was ordained deacon on 14 June 1747 at Chester, and was assistant curate at Didsbury chapel in Manchester from 15 June until 4 July 1747. He was appointed Rector of Compton Abbas in Dorset from 4 February 1787 until his death on 31 December 1772 (2).

On 21 April 1757 he married by licence Mary, daughter of Captain Baliol, at St Thomas, Winchester in Hampshire. He was then aged 30 years and his bride 24 years (3).

They had the following children, all baptised at Compton Abbas:

Thomas Heathcote. He was baptised privately on 15 May 1759, and died in infancy (4).

Charlotte Heathcote. She was baptised on 8 June 1760. She was married to Richard Wake (5), and lived at Tatchbury House in Eling, Hampshire. She died there on 9 October 1812 (6).

Augusta Heathcote. She was baptised on 13 April 1761, and died in infancy.

Anthony Girton Heathcote. He was baptised on 13 February 1764. He became a lawyer of Middle Temple in London.

Henry Heathcote. He was baptised on 2 June 1765, and died in infancy.

The Reverend Anthony Heathcote died on 25 August 1772 by a fall from his horse (7), and was buried on 29 August in that year,

His Will is dated 9 January 1768, and probate was granted on 18 September 1772.

He was succeeded as Rector of Compton Abbas by his nephew the Reverend Henry Longden.

(1) The Derby School Register pqge 14.

(2) Church of England Database (CCED) and Alumni Oxonienses volume 2 ( 1715-1886) page 639.

(3) Allegations for Marriage Licences in Hampshire, 1689-1837 page 366.

(4) "Two sons and one dau. died under age." An Account of some of the Families bearing the name of Heathcote which have descended out of the County of Derby by the Reverend Evelyn D. Heathcote (1899) page 190.

(5) "By 1786-7 the manor [of Tatchbury] had passed to Richard Wake and his wife Charlotte and it remained in the family of Wake until the latter half of the 19th century, being in 1859 the property of George Anthony Wake, who resided at Tatchbury Old Manor." A History of the County of Hampshire by William Page (editor) volume 4 : Parish of Eling pages 546-558.

(6) Salisbury and Winchester Journal 17 October 1812.

(7) An Account of some of the Families bearing the name of Heathcote which have descended out of the County of Derby by the Reverend Evelyn D. Heathcote (1899) page 198.