Stukeley, William (1687 -1765)

William Stukeley was born at Holbeach in Lincolnshire, the son of John Stukeley, an attorney, and Frances, daughter of Robert Bullen of Weston in Lincolnshire. He was educated at the Free School of Holbeach in Lincolnshire, and at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, to which he was admitted 7 November 1703, became a scholar the following year, and took his M.B. 21 January 1708. He went into medical practice at Boston in Lincolnshire in 1710. In 1717 he moved to London, in 1718 became a Fellow of the Royal Society, helped to found the Society of Antiquaries in 1718, and was its secretary for nine years. He took his M.D. at Cambridge in 1719, and in 1720 was admitted a Fellow of the College of Physicians. He moved to Grantham in 1726 where he had a good practice. He married, firstly, in 1728, Frances, daughter of Robert Williamson, of Allington in Lincolnshire, and secondly, in 1739, Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Gale, Dean of York. He took orders in 1729, and was presented to the living of All Saints at Stamford, which he held until 1747, when he moved to St George the Martyr, Queen Square, London. He wrote many books on antiquities, though his preconceptions about Druidism and other matters often invalidate his observations.