Richard Kidder (1633 – 26 November 1703) was an English Anglican churchman, Bishop of Bath and Wells, from 1691 to his death.

[3] He was rector of Rayne Parva, Essex, from 1664 to 1674, having conformed to the Act of Uniformity 1662.

He was later vicar of St. Martin Outwich, London, and in 1689 a royal chaplain,[4] and dean of Peterborough.

His A Demonstration of the Messias[5] has been identified as a significant influence on the librettist Charles Jennens, in writing the words for the Messiah of Handel.

[7] He was killed in the Great Storm of 1703, on 26 November (7 December in today's calendar);[8] he was in bed with his wife in the episcopal palace at Wells when the chimney fell on both of them.