George Townsend (priest)

His work on the Old Testament was noticed by several eminent men, including Shute Barrington, Bishop of Durham, who appointed him his domestic chaplain in 1822.

He also obtained, on 26 April 1826 the chapter living of Northallerton, which he exchanged on 22 February 1839 for the perpetual curacy of St Margaret, Durham.

In 1811 appeared his first published work, a reply to William Drummond of Logiealmond, who in Œdipus Judaicus alleged that the greater part of the Old Testament was a solar allegory, and that the twelve patriarchs symbolised the signs of the zodiac.

As contribution to the polemical literature of Catholic emancipation, at the request of Barrington, Townsend in 1825 published The Accusations of History against the Church of Rome; new edition 1845.

In 1836 Townsend compiled a Life and Vindication of John Foxe the martyrologist; it was prefixed to the first volume of the edition of the Acts and Monuments by Stephen Reed Cattley (8 vols.

He was twice married, and by his first wife left a son, George Fyler Townsend, who was later perpetual curate of St Michael's, Burleigh Street, Westminster.