James Cranford 1603-1657

James CRANFORD 1603-1657

Biographical Note

Cranford was the son of James Cranford, master of the free school of Coventry. He was educated at Balliol College, Oxford (1618, BA 1621, MA 1624). After ordination he was rector of Brockhall, Northamptonshire, from 1627 to 1643. From 1641 he was lecturer and then rector (1643) of St Christopher-le-Stocks, London.

Cranford was a hardline presbyterian, an active campaigner against 'heresy' and one of the parliamentary licensers for the press. Between 1653 and 1655 he was President of Sion College.

Books

Cranford's will left the proceeds of the sale of his library to his children. In 1655 while President of Sion College he gave the eight-volume Plantin Biblia Sacra Hebraice, Chaldaice, Graece, & Latine to the College Library (Lambeth Palace Library A10/AN8).

Sources

• Vernon, E. C. "Cranford, James (1602/3–1657), Church of England clergyman." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
• Sion College donation inscription