John Courtail

John Courtail (bapt. 18 July 1715 – 25 February 1806) was an English cleric, Archdeacon of Lewes from 1770 until 1806.^[1]

Courtail was born at Exeter, the son of French parents. He matriculated at Clare College, Cambridge in 1732, graduating B.A. in 1736 and M.A. in 1739. He was a Fellow of Clare from 1736, becoming senior proctor. He was rector of Great Gransden and Burwash, becoming Archdeacon of Lewes in 1770.^[2] James Hurdis became Courtail's curate at Burwash in 1786, and dedicated to him the 1788 poem The Village Curate.^[3]

He died in Burwash, aged 90.^[4]