Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Shuttleworth, Philip Nicholas

by Charles William Sutton

SHUTTLEWORTH, PHILIP NICHOLAS (1782–1842), bishop of Chichester, was second son of Humphrey Shuttleworth, who was vicar of Kirkham, Lancashire, from 1771 to 1812, and of Preston in the same county from 1784 to 1809, and wrote some tracts against the papal pretensions. Philip, born at Kirkham on 9 Feb. 1782, was educated at the Preston grammar school, and at Winchester College, which he entered in 1796. He matriculated at New College, Oxford, on 24 Dec. 1800, and graduated B.A. in 1800, M.A. in 1811, and B.D. and D.D. in 1822. In 1803 he won the Chancellor's Latin-verse prize, the subject being 'Byzantium.' Soon after graduating he became tutor to the Hon. Algernon Herbert, and at a subsequent date to Lord Holland's son, afterwards General Fox. He was tutor and fellow of New College until 1822, and proctor of the university in 1820. In 1822 he was unanimously chosen warden of New College. In that position he was not at first successful in the management of young men. He viewed with impatience the consequences of the laxity of the previous administration, and his efforts to improve matters were hampered by his unconciliatory manner. Still, he was popular in the university, and no person of eminence ever came to Oxford without dining with him (Davidson and Benham, Life of A. C. Tait, i. 40). He held strong whig views, which were toned down in later life, and was a vigorous opponent of the tractarian movement. He was a good preacher, and acquired the reputation of a sound theologian as well as that of wit and scholar. He wrote occasional verse, some of which appears in the 'Gentleman's Magazine,' 1861 (ii. 245, 542), and in Mrs. Gordon's 'Life of William Buckland,' 1891. His playful 'Specimen of a Geological Lecture' is given in Daubeny's 'Fugitive Poems connected with Natural History and Physical Science,' 1869.

On 19 Nov. 1824 he was presented by Lord Holland to the rectory of Foxley, Wiltshire, and in September 1840 was appointed bishop of Chichester, 'with the general approval of all Oxford men' (Cox, Recollections of Oxford, p. 208). He died at his palace at Chichester on 7 Jan. 1842. Pusey thought he saw in the early removal of his episcopal opponent a 'token of God's presence in the church of England.' A portrait of Shuttleworth by H. Smith is described by Evans (Cat. Engr. Portr. No. 21285); another is given in the 'Church Magazine' for May 1841.

He married at Hambleton, Buckinghamshire, in 1823, Emma Martha, daughter of George Welch of High Leek in Tunstal parish, Lancashire. By her he had (with five daughters) a son, Philip Ughtred, who died a student of Christ Church, Oxford, on 27 Nov. 1848.

Shuttleworth published, besides separate sermons:

1. 'Sermons on some of theleading Principles of Christianity,' 2 vols,, 1827-34; 3rd edit. 1840.
2. 'A Paraphrastic Translation of the Apostolic Epistles, with Notes,' 1829; 5th edit. 1854.
3. 'The Consistency of the Whole Scheme of Revelation with itself, and with Human Reason,' 1832.
4. 'Not Tradition but Scripture,' 1838, opposed to the Oxford tracts. Newman thought, it 'very superficial, retailing old objections, but specious, and perhaps mischievous' (J. H. Newman, Letters and Correspondence (ii. 261).
5. 'Three Sermons before the University of Oxford,' 1840.

[Gent. Mag. 1842 i. 259, 1861 ii. 245, 342, 542; Shuttleworth Accounts, ii. 280 (Chetham Soc.); Cox's Recollections of Oxford', 1868, p. 298: Le Neve's Fasti ( Hardy), i, 254; Foster's Alumni Oxon.; Allibone's Dict. of Authors; Prothero's Life of A. P. Stanley, 1893, i. 131; Liddon's Life of Pusey, i. 199. ii. 294; Foster's Lancashire Pedigress; Notes and Queries, 6th ser. xii. 302, 338, 373; Kirby's Winchester Scholars. 1888. p, 285; Bodleian Libr. Cat.]

C. W. S.