John Newte was born at
Ottery St Mary on 15 January 1656, the son of
Richard Newte (1613–1678) Rector of Tidcombe and Clare. John was the grandson of Henry Newte The Elder who had been the first Town Clerk of
Tiverton after that town's incorporation in 1615 (Henry was succeeded in this office by his son
Henry Newte The Younger). He was educated at
Blundell's School, and
Balliol College, Oxford, where he later obtained a
fellowship. He became Rector of Tidcombe and Pitt Portions, Tiverton. After Oxford he was appointed Chaplain to Lord Digby, then after the
Restoration Chaplain to Lord de la Warr. He was appointed Chaplain to
Charles II although he appears not to have served owing to his suffering gout and his residence being distant from the royal court. Newte championed many charitable causes: giving money for the building of St Georges Chapel, Tiverton; raising monies for the installation of an organ in
St Peter's Church, Tiverton; and, leaving land to Balliol College to found an exhibition for a Blundell's scholar in addition to having founded schools for the poor in Cove and Cullompton, Devon. The
National Portrait Gallery in London holds a line engraving of Newte by
Michael Van der Gucht (after Thomas Forster). == Publications ==