John Chambers

John Chambers (died 1556) was an English Benedictine, the last Abbot of Peterborough and first Bishop of Peterborough. Life He was born in Peterborough and was sometimes called Burgh or Borowe. He became a monk in the abbey there, and was elected its abbot in 1528. He was studied both at Oxford and Cambridge Universities; he took a Cambridge M.A. in 1505, and was B.D. in 1539. In 1530 Chambers as Abbot received Thomas Wolsey, then on his last progress to the Province of York. The cardinal kept Easter at Peterborough with great state. After Wolsey's fall Chambers maintained his position, with only some external modifications, to the end of his life. When Richard Layton, the agent of Henry VIII in the dissolution of the monasteries, accompanied by Richard, the nephew of Thomas Cromwell, was at Ramsey Abbey, and had marked down Peterborough as his next target, Chambers contacted Sir William Parr, hoping by bribery to save his abbey. Chambers discreetly made no further resistance. The abbey was surrendered to the king in 1539, Chambers being appointed guardian of the temporalities, with an annual pension. He became one of the royal chaplains and proceeded to his degree of B.D. at Cambridge the same year (1539). Chambers had support from Lord Russell in the direction of Cromwell.