Overton, William (1524-03-25 - 1609-04-09)

William Overton was born in London and may have been educated at Glastonbury Abbey before moving to Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. from Christ Church in 1547; he migrated to Magdalen, where he became a fellow in 1551 and proceeded M.A. in 1554, BTh in 1566, and DTh the same year. He became rector of Balcombe (Sx) and vicar of Eccleshall (Staffs) in 1553 and rector of Swinnerton (Staffs) in 1555. He received favour under Elizabeth, having been presented to the canonry of the second prebend in Winchester Cathedral in 1559 by the crown; in 1561 he was collated to the prebend of Chichester and in 1570 to the prebend of Salisbury. Overton was collated to the rectories of Upham in 1560, Nursling in 1560, Exton in1661, Cotton in 1562, Buriton in 1569, Rotherfield in 1570, and Stoke-on-Trent and Hanbury. In 1566 he married Margaret, daughter of William Barlow, bishop of Chichester. Overton was consecrated bishop of Coventry and Lichfield in 1580; although apparently amiable and kind to the poor, Overton was litigious and perhaps even dishonest in respect to the revenues of his see. Upon the death of his wife Margaret in 1601, at the age of 76 Overton married Mary Bradcocke, a relative of the earls of Shrewsbury. Overton died on 9 April 1609, and was buried in an elaborate tomb in Holy Trinity Church, Eccleshall that he had designed for himself six years prior.