The following information has been extracted from Newcourt's Repertorium, Alumni Cantabrigienses and the Clergy of the Church of England Database. It is based on the assumption that the John Mountford who served as Rector of Thorley resigned from the benefice in 1640 rather than vacating it through death, and is the same John Mountford who went on to to be ejected from the livings of Anstey and Therfield following the outbreak of the Civil War.
John Mountford was the son of Thomas Mountford. He attended Westminster School and entered Trinity College, Cambridge in 1594, where he was awarded the degree of B.A. in 1599 and that of M.A. in 1602. He was subsequently awarded the degree of B.D. in 1610 and that of D.D. in 1620.
John was collated a Prebendary of St Paul's Cathedral on 14 November 1618, and on 3 May of the following year instituted as Rector of Thorley. Whilst still at Thorley, he was also installed as Vicar of Ware on 19 October 1633, but resigned from this benefice in 1634. John resigned from Thorley in 1640, in which year, on 1 August, he was installed as Rector of Anstey, near Buntingford, a position previously held by his father. He was also instituted as Vicar of Therfield near Royston but, following the outbreak of the Civil War, was ejected by Parliament from both of these livings in 1643 on account of his loyalty to the Church of England. He was collated a Prebendary of Ely in 1644, a position he held until his death in March 1652.
John was buried at Tewin, now near Welwyn Garden City, where his father, Thomas, had died in 1633 whilst Rector of the living.
Philip Hargrave
December 2011