Church Church of England Consecration 14 December 1589 Parents John Fletcher Province Canterbury Name Richard Fletcher Successor Richard Bancroft | Diocese London Role Priest Predecessor John Aylmer Elected 30 December 1594 Died June 15, 1596 Children John Fletcher | |
In office 10 January 1595–15 June 1596 Education Trinity College, Cambridge | ||
Richard Fletcher (1544/5, Watford – 15 June 1596) was a Church of England priest and bishop. He was successively dean of Peterborough (1583–89), bishop of Bristol (1589–93), bishop of Worcester (1593–95) and bishop of London (1595–96).
Fletcher was educated at Norwich School, Trinity College, Cambridge, and became a fellow of Corpus Christi College. He was the father of playwright John Fletcher.
During his time as Dean of Peterborough Cathedral he was present at the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots on 8 February 1587, described by Fraser as "pray(ing) out loud and at length, in a prolonged and rhetorical style as though determined to force his way into the pages of history" (1969:584), and presided over her initial funeral and burial at Peterborough Cathedral.
He was elected bishop of Bristol on 13 November 1589 and consecrated on 14 December 1589. He was translated to the bishopric of Worcester on 10 February 1593 and again to the bishopric of London on 10 January 1595.
He died in office on 15 June 1596.