William Barlow (bishop of Lincoln)

William Barlow (c. 1500 – 1569) was an English Protestant clergyman who became a bishop during the English Reformation. He served as Bishop of St Asaph, Bishop of St David's, Bishop of Bath and Wells, and finally Bishop of Chichester. Later in his life he became Bishop of Chichester.

Barlow was a prominent figure in the early years of the English Reformation. He was known for his advocacy of reformed doctrines and his opposition to papal authority. His early life is somewhat obscure, but he is believed to have been educated at Oxford University, and later became a prior.

He held a variety of ecclesiastical positions under Henry VIII. His evangelical leanings led to periods of royal favor and disfavor, depending on the prevailing religious climate at court. He benefited from the Dissolution of the Monasteries, acquiring lands and property. He was appointed Bishop of St Asaph in 1536 and Bishop of St David's in 1536.

During the reign of Mary I, he was deprived of his bishopric due to his marriage and his Protestant views, which were unacceptable under the Catholic regime. He went into exile in Europe, where he remained until the accession of Elizabeth I.

Upon Elizabeth's accession, Barlow returned to England and was appointed Bishop of Chichester in 1559. He participated in the revision of the Book of Common Prayer and continued to promote Protestant reforms within his diocese. In 1559, he was also consecrated as Bishop of Bath and Wells, holding both bishoprics concurrently until his death in 1569.

Barlow was married to Agatha Wellesbourne and had several children, including five daughters, all of whom married bishops: Anne married Herbert Westfaling, Bishop of Hereford; Elizabeth married William Day, Bishop of Winchester; Margaret married William Wickham, Bishop of Winchester; Frances married Tobias Matthew, Archbishop of York; and Antonina married first Jerome Wickham, and second, Richard Vaughan, Bishop of London.

His legacy is primarily tied to his role in establishing and solidifying the Protestant Church of England.