Dr John Favour

[1556-1623]



Dr John Favour LLD – lawyer and physician – was born in Southampton, educated at Winchester and New College Oxford, where he was Fellow in 1578. He was appointed Vicar of Halifax from 3rd December 1593. He founded Heath Grammar School in 1600.

In 1595, he married Ann Power.

Children:

  1. John
  2. William [b 1601]
  3. Susan who married Hugh Watmough

He was strongly Puritanical in his beliefs, and he was frequently called to public debate with – and often carried out the subsequent torture and execution of – priests and others such as Henry Walpole.

In 1619, at the suggestion of the Archbishop of York, he published his controversial [and only] book Antiquitie triumphing over Noveltie which mentions such debates and deaths. In the book, he condemned

all new and late upstart heresies

John Barlow came to Halifax as assistant to Favour.

He died on 10th March 1623/24. He was buried at Halifax Parish Church. The epitaph on his memorial in Halifax Parish Church is recorded in the book Monumental & Other Inscriptions.

He is said to have prided himself that he resembled Jesus Christ.

There is a bust of him in Halifax Parish Church and there used to be another at Heath Grammar School.

See Edmund Brearcliffe




© Malcolm Bull 2023
Revised 00:51 / 2nd November 2023 / 3928

Page Ref: MMF14

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