THORNTO1T. 



List of the rectors of this church, as far as they 

 can be ascertained from the parish registers. 

 When instituted. Rectors. When vacated. 

 1 609 John Robinson 1 645. 



1645 Christopher Bradley, A.M..} 



born at Harum near Helm- v 1653. 

 sley,in 1606 ; was ejected ^ 



1653.. John Robinson, died 1656. 



1656 Christopher Bradley, A. M. > ._ 



instituted second time, died ^ 



1678 Thomas Comber, D. u., (af- } 



terwards dean of Durham,) v 1699. 

 buried at Stonegrave \ 



house at Thornton, which he had built from the ground. 

 He purchased also a piece of freehold land for an orchard, 

 which he added to the garden, and enclosed with new 

 walls ; the whole of these improvements costing him 

 several hundred pounds. He seems to have had a partiality 

 for Thornton, and at different times to have been a mu- 

 nificent benefactor to i4 ; but there is no certain token now 

 extant whereby we may learn from what peculiar cir- 

 cumstances it arose. He does not seem ever to have had 

 it in his power to reside upon it for any considerable 

 time together, his presence being indispensibly necessary 

 at his other preferments ; but he kept a resident curate 

 there, who is mentioned in some ef his letters, and for 

 whom he afterwards procured preferment. Whether his 

 inability to reside on the above living, induced him to 

 lay out more money upon it than he otherwise would 

 have done ; its being named after a family for whom he 

 entertained so high and just an esteem, and from an al- 

 liance with which so great a portion of his happiness 

 flowed ; or the circumstance of its having been given him 

 in so truly noble a manner by Sir Hugh Chomley ; or 

 whether all these facts combined together operated upon. 

 his mind, certain it is, that the effects of his good will 

 were ~o solid and lasting as to remain even to this day ; 

 though those who are partakers thereof may not be aware 

 of the hand which bestowed them, and the motives which 

 produced such bounty, 



p. 345. 



