# James Hurdis

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{{Short description|English clergyman and poet}}
{{for|his son, the artist|James Henry Hurdis}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
thumb|right|An engraving of Hurdis by Romney, frontispiece from ''The Village Curate and other poems'' (1809)
'''James Hurdis''' (1763–1801) was an English [clergyman](/source/clergyman) and poet.

==Life==
Born in [Bishopstone, East Sussex](/source/Bishopstone%2C_East_Sussex), Hurdis attended [The Prebendal School](/source/The_Prebendal_School)<ref>{{Cite book |last=Whitaker |first=A. P. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cmM3AAAAIAAJ|title=James Hurdis: His Life and Writings |date=1960 |publisher=Moore and Tillyer, Limited for the Marc Fitch Fund |language=en}}</ref> and studied at [St Mary Hall, Oxford](/source/St_Mary_Hall%2C_Oxford), and [Magdalen College, Oxford](/source/Magdalen_College%2C_Oxford), later becoming a [Fellow](/source/Oxbridge_Fellow) of Magdalen College.<ref>{{cite DNB|wstitle=Hurdis, James (1763-1801)|volume=28}}</ref>

Hurdis was curate for the [East Sussex](/source/East_Sussex) village of [Burwash](/source/Burwash) from 1786, and it was there that he wrote ''The Village Curate'', a blank verse poem published anonymously in 1788.<ref name=ox/> 
thumb|St Andrew's Church, Bishopstone
In 1791 he became the vicar of his home church at Bishopstone. The following year his sister Catherine died.<ref name=ox>{{Cite ODNB|title=Hurdis, James (bap. 1763, d. 1801), Church of England clergyman and poet|url=https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-14251|access-date=2020-10-02|year = 2004|language=en|doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/14251}}</ref> In 1793 he was appointed [Professor of Poetry](/source/Professor_of_Poetry) at [Oxford University](/source/Oxford_University).<ref name="ODNB">{{cite ODNB|id=14251|first=Christopher|last=Whittick|title=Hurdis, James}}</ref>

Sussex [shepherd](/source/shepherd)s at this time used to catch [wheatear](/source/wheatear)s in small cage traps to sell as [songbird](/source/songbird)s. Hurdis used to free the trapped birds, but would leave coins in their place.<ref name="ODNB"/>

Hurdis died in 1801 and there is a memorial to him in [Bishopstone Church](/source/Bishopstone_Church). The Town Council Offices were at Hurdis House named in his honour.{{fact|date=October 2020}} His eldest son [James Henry Hurdis](/source/James_Henry_Hurdis) was a notable amateur artist.

==References==
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hurdis, James}}
Category:People from Seaford, East Sussex
Category:1763 births
Category:1801 deaths
Category:18th-century English Anglican priests
Category:Alumni of St Mary Hall, Oxford
Category:Alumni of Magdalen College, Oxford
Category:Fellows of Magdalen College, Oxford
Category:Oxford Professors of Poetry
Category:People from Lewes District

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