William Gascoyne-Cecil

author

William Gascoyne-Cecil

1863–1936

A well-liked but slightly eccentric Church of England bishop, he spent two decades leading Exeter after many years as rector of Hatfield. Born into the powerful Cecil family, his life joined aristocratic background with long parish and diocesan service.

1 Audiobook

Changing China

Changing China

by Lady Florence Mary (Bootle-Wilbraham) Cecil, William Gascoyne-Cecil

About the author

Born on 9 March 1863 at Hatfield House, Lord Rupert Ernest William Gascoyne-Cecil was the second son of the 3rd Marquess of Salisbury. He was educated at Eton and University College, Oxford, and after a short period working in the East End of London he was ordained in 1887.

Much of his ministry was rooted in parish life. He served as rector of Hatfield for 28 years before becoming Bishop of Exeter in 1916, a post he held until his death on 23 June 1936. Contemporary accounts describe him as generally well liked, though he also had a reputation for eccentricity that made him memorable.

He married Lady Florence Mary Bootle-Wilbraham in 1887, and they had seven children. The family suffered heavy losses in the First World War, when three of their sons were killed in action, a tragedy that marked their later years.