Hannah Wood
ODNB; ACAD (Venn)
Robert Horne graduated B.A. from St. John's College, Cambridge in 1536/7, M.A. in 1540, B.D. in 1546, and D.D. in 1559. He was made a fellow of the college in 1536 and served as Hebrew lecturer from 1545-6. Horne served as vicar of Matching from 1546-53, rector of Bunwell in 1549, rector of All Hallows Breadstreet (London) from 1550-2, and dean of Durham from 1551-3; he also briefly held a prebend at York Minster for 6 months in 1552 and served as chaplain to Edward VI. Failing to receive a pardon from Mary I upon her accession and facing charges of heresy because of his evangelical preaching, Horne fled to Europe and resided in Zurich and Frankfurt during Mary's reign; he returned to England a month after Elizabeth I's accession. He was restored to his deanery at Durham in 1559 and was consecrated bishop of Winchester in 1561. Horne vigorously combated nonconformity in his diocese and was an active preacher of reform. He was dedicated to ensuring that the clergy of his diocese were learned and capable of effective preaching, implementing a programme of reading, progress reports, and required presentation of sermon notes on the part of curates. He was responsible for the revision of the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Lamentations in the 1568 Bishop's Bible. Horne died in Winchester on 1 June 1579, three years after the death of his wife Margery. He was survived by his daughters Elizabeth, Anne, Mary, Margery, and Rebecca.