Francis Lear (1789 in Downton, Wiltshire – 1850 in Salisbury) was Dean of Salisbury in the Church of England from 1846 until his death.[1]
Lear was educated at Oriel College, Oxford, where he matriculated in 1806, and then Magdalen College from 1809, graduating B.A. in 1810, M.A. 1813, and becoming a Fellow in 1819.[2] He held livings in Wiltshire at Chilmark and Bishopstone (near Salisbury). He was Archdeacon of Sarum from 1836[3] until his appointment as Dean. He died on 23 March 1850.[4]
Lear married Isabella Mary Majendie.[5] Their son, also named Francis, succeeded his father as rector of Bishopstone[6] and was Archdeacon of Sarum from 1875 until his death on 1914.[7]
Isabella paid for the construction in 1854 of All Saints' Church, East Harnham, in memory of her husband; it had been his wish to provide a church for this outlying district of the city.[8]
