Biography

Sykes, Arthur Ashley (c. 1684–1756), Church of England clergyman and religious controversialist, was born in London, son of John Sykes (1622–1695), vicar of Ardeley and rector of Cottered in Hertfordshire. Educated at St Paul's School and Corpus Christi College, Arthur graduated BA in 1705, MA in 1708, and DD in 1726. He was ordained deacon by the bishop of Norwich on 23 December 1705, and priest by the bishop of Ely on 21 December 1707. He held vicarages of Godmersham, Kent (1713-1714), Dry Drayton, Cambridgeshire (1714-1718), and the rectory of Rayleigh, Essex, where he remained until his death, residing both there and in London. He married Elizabeth Williams (d. 1763), a widow and native of Bristol; they had no children. He became afternoon preacher at St James' Westminster chapel of ease, King Street Chapel, Golden Square, from 1718, morning preacher from 1721, and assistant preacher at St James's from 1725. Isaac Newton was a prominent member of his congregation, and Sykes inherited some of Newton's manuscripts to prepare theological works for publication. He prepared a digest but found nothing fit for publication and the papers passed to Jeffry Ekins.

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