Richard Walter (chaplain)

Richard Walter (c. 1716 – 1785) was an English chaplain, mathematician, and author. He is best known for being the chaplain aboard HMS Centurion during George Anson's circumnavigation of the globe from 1740 to 1744 and for being credited with writing the official account of the voyage, A Voyage Round the World.

While Walter's name appears on the title page, there has been ongoing scholarly debate about the true extent of his authorship. Some scholars suggest that Benjamin Robins, a military engineer and mathematician, significantly contributed to, or even substantially wrote, the book, focusing particularly on the technical and strategic aspects of the voyage. Walter’s role may have been primarily to lend his name and give the narrative a respectable, religiously grounded tone.

Regardless of the exact authorship, A Voyage Round the World became a bestseller, and is still considered a significant primary source for understanding 18th-century naval exploration, geography, and the interactions between Europeans and other cultures.

Beyond his role on the Centurion, little is known about Walter's life. Records indicate he held a chaplaincy at Great Parndon, Essex, and that he was a mathematical tutor. His subsequent career was comparatively unremarkable compared to the fame afforded by the voyage account.