Pococke was born in Southampton and educated at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, receiving a Bachelor of Law degree.

His family connections meant he advanced rapidly in the church, becoming vicar-general of the Diocese of Waterford and Lismore.

[4] Milles was recalled in 1737 to attend his uncle, the Bishop of Waterford & Lismore, leaving Pococke to continue his major excursion to the Middle East.

[4] Detailed accounts of his travels survive in a collection of letters written to Pococke's mother and their mutual uncle, the Bishop, as well as in a number of note-books (British Library, Add.

The earlier manuscripts, recently edited and published by Rachel Finnegan,[5] include probably the most detailed description of Venice's "Marriage to the Sea" ceremony as well as precious information on contemporary music, especially opera.

[8] Among other things, he was one of the European travellers to give an account of the origins of the medieval Arabic document, the Achtiname of Muhammad, which claims that Muhammad had personally confirmed a grant of protection and other privileges to the monks of Saint Catherine's Monastery in Egypt.

During that month, he visited Edinburgh, Stirling, Glasgow and Ayr, returning to Ireland via Port Patrick.

His itinerary took him in a clockwise circuit round most of Scotland, including Loch Lomond, Iona, Fort William, Inverness, the North West, Orkney, the North East, Perth, Fife and Edinburgh, finishing at Berwick on Tweed.

In his Tours of Scotland of 1760 he observed marmalade at breakfast "there is always, besides butter and toasted bread, honey and jelly of currants and preserved orange peel".

Following his education at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, he was ordained in 1725, his uncle appointing him to the Precentorship of Lismore.

He preached and confirmed in the English Church in Elgin, and continued to do so in every other of that persuasion which he had occasion to be near, greatly regarded and esteemed by all ranks and degrees of people.’ The Cambridge Chronicle, October 5, 1765.

[15] He died of apoplexy during a visitation at Charleville Castle, near Tullamore, County Offaly,[16] Ireland, in 1765.

In a letter to Mrs. Donnellan dated Sandleford, 30 December 1750, Mrs. Montagu wrote: ... We have a loss in not having Dr. Pococke here this Christmas, as we expected.