Richard Clayton (died 1612) was an English churchman and academic, Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge and St John's College, Cambridge and Dean of Peterborough.
He was son of John Clayton of Crook, Preston, Lancashire, and was admitted a pensioner of St. John's College, Cambridge, in 1572, but moved to Oxford, where he proceeded B.A., and was incorporated in that degree at Cambridge in 1576.
[1] In the following year he was admitted a fellow of St. John's, on the Lady Margaret's foundation.
at Cambridge in 1587, was elected a college preacher at St. John's the same year, and was created D.D.
He was admitted Master of St. John's College, Cambridge, on 22 December 1595, in what as a highly politicised election manipulated by Lord Burghley: the Fellows had a shortlist including Henry Alvey, Clayton, John Ireton, John Knewstub, Roger Morrell, John Rainolds, and a Dr. Webster, but Burghley insisted on one of Clayton and Laurence Stanton (who was the choice of the heads of houses).