William Davies Shipley
William Davies Shipley (5 October 1745 (OS) – 7 May 1826) was an Anglican priest who served as Dean of St Asaph for nearly 52 years, from 27 May 1774 until his death. In a legal cause célèbre which became known as the Case of the Dean of St Asaph, he was tried and convicted on a charge of seditious libel in August 1784, but was discharged by the Court of King's Bench a few months later without being punished.
Early and private life[edit]
Shipley was born at Midgham in Berkshire, the only son of Jonathan Shipley. His father was a clergyman who served as Dean of Winchester from 1760 to 1769, as Bishop of Landaff briefly in 1769, and then as Bishop of St Asaph from 1769 to 1789. His uncle, William Shipley, was a founder of the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce (which later became the Royal Society of Arts). His mother, Anna-Maria Mordaunt, was a niece of the Earl of Peterborough.
He was educated at Westminster School until 1760 and then Winchester College, and he studied at Christ Church, Oxford, where his father had been a canon. He followed his father's vocation to become a priest in the Church of England. He was quickly appointed to several lucrative church offices. His father appointed him as vicar of Ysceifiog in March 1770, and then vicar of Wrexham in 1771 and rector of Llangwn in 1772 (later exchanged for Corwen, and then Llanarmon-yn-Iâl). He became chancellor of the diocese of St Asaph in 1773, and Dean of St Asaph on 27 May 1774. He retained both of these offices until his death in 1826.
Later life[edit]
Although Shipley was discharged, his notoriety ended his chances of emulating his father by becoming a bishop, and he remained Dean of St Asaph until his death over 40 years later. He busied himself in arranging for repairs and alterations to the structure of St Asaph Cathedral. During his term in office, the chapter house was demolished in 1779, the choir was rebuilt, and a new episcopal throne, pulpit and reredos were installed. Many of these alterations were funded by the St Asaph Cathedral Act 1814.
Shipley died at his home, Bodrhyddan Hall, near St Asaph, and was buried at Rhuddlan.