Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Soames, Henry
SOAMES, HENRY (1785–1860), ecclesiastical historian, son of Nathaniel Soames, shoemaker, of Ludgate Street, London, was born in 1785 and educated at St. Paul's school, whence he proceeded to Wadham College, Oxford, matriculating on 21 Feb. 1803. He graduated B.A. in 1807, M.A. in 1810. He held the post of assistant to the high master of St. Paul's school from 1809 to 1814, and took holy orders. In 1812 he was made rector of Shelley, Essex, and at this time, or later, rector of the neighbouring parish of Little Laver. From 1831 to 1839 he was vicar of Brent with Furneaux Pelham, Hertfordshire. In 1839 he became rector of Stapleford Tawney with Theydon Mount, Essex, where he remained till his death. He was Bampton lecturer in 1830, and was appointed chancellor of St. Paul's Cathedral by Bishop Blomfield in 1842. He died on 21 Oct. 1860.
Much light was thrown by Soames's labour and learning on English ecclesiastical history in Anglo-Saxon times and in the sixteenth century. His more important works are: 1. ‘The History of the Reformation of the Church of England,’ 4 vols. 1826–8. 2. ‘An Inquiry into the Doctrines of the Anglo-Saxon Church,’ Oxford, 1830 (Bampton lectures). 3. ‘The Anglo-Saxon Church: its History, Revenues, and General Character,’ London, 1835; 4th edit., revised, augmented, and corrected, 1856. 4. ‘Elizabethan Religious History,’ London, 1839. 5. ‘Mosheim's Institutes of Ecclesiastical History. … Edited, with additions, by James Murdock and H. Soames,’ &c. 1841. This was re-edited in 1845, 1850, and finally by Bishop Stubbs in 3 vols. in 1863. In the latter's preface a high tribute is paid to the value ‘of the notes and additions made to the work by my late venerable friend, Mr. Soames’ (Preface, p. ix). 6. ‘The Latin Church during Anglo-Saxon Times,’ London, 1848. This work was criticised by J. D. Chambers in ‘Anglo-Saxonica; or Animadversions on some positions … maintained, &c. by H. Soames,’ London, 1849. 7. ‘The Romish Decalogue,’ London, 1852.
[Crockford's Clerical Directory, 1860; Foster's Alumni Oxon. (1715–1886); St. Paul's School Register, p. 219; Wright's Essex, p. 357 n.; Cussans's Hertfordshire, Hundred of Edwinstree, p. 145.]