Thomas Manton

Thomas Manton was baptised 31 March 1620 at Lydeard St Lawrence, Somerset, a remote southwestern portion of England.

[1] His formal education came at Wadham College, University of Oxford, and he eventually graduated BA in 1639 from Hart Hall.

In 1656 he moved to London as he was appointed as a lecturer at Westminster Abbey and most importantly as rector of St. Paul's, Covent Garden, succeeding Obadiah Sedgwick.

This led Presbyterians such as Manton to call for the restoration of Charles II in 1660, travelling along with others to Breda, The Netherlands, to negotiate his return.

After Charles returned, Manton was part of the negotiations called the Savoy Conference, in which the scruples of the Presbyterians and Congregationalists concerning the Prayer Book were formally discussed.

All ministers were to be ordained or re-ordained by a bishop, they were to renounce the Solemn League and Covenant, promise loyalty to the Prayer Book, and subscribe the Thirty-Nine Articles.

Since Manton was on favourable terms with Charles II he was offered the Deanery of Rochester, but he refused on conscience grounds.