Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Atkyns, Robert (1647-1711)

by Charles Henry Coote

ATKYNS, Sir ROBERT (1647–1711), topographer, was the only son of Sir Robert Atkyns, chief baron of the Exchequer, and sometime speaker of the House of Lords see Atkyns, Sir Robert, 1621-1709. Thomas Atkyns, who died in London 1401, was succeeded in the fourth generation by one David, an eminent merchant in Chepstow, who removed before his death in 1552 to Tuffley, near Gloucester, which continued to be the family seat until the purchase of Saperton by Baron Atkyns in 1660. Sir Robert was born in 1647; he was knighted by Charles II on his visit to Bristol 5 Sept. 1663 (Seyer, infra), and was elected M.P. for the borough of Cirencester (33 Car. II) 1680-1, and afterwards for the county of Gloucester (1 Jac. II) 1684-5. He died at his house in Westminster of dysentery, at the age of sixty-five, and was buried at Saperton, where his monument is preserved. He is the author of the 'Ancient and Present State of Gloucestershire,' London, 1712, fol. 2nd edition, 1768.

The first edition, now scarce, contains a fine portrait of the author by Van der Gucht, together with a series of views of seats in the county, drawn and engraved by J. Kip in his earliest manner.

[Biog. Dict. S.D.U.K. iv. 3; Seyer's Memoirs of Bristol, 1823, ii. oil; Malcom's Lives of Topographers and Antiquaries, London, 1824.]

C. H. C.

Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.10
N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line

Page	Col.	Line
232	i ii	8 f.e. 14 f.e. 5 f.e.	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$ Atkyns, Sir Robert: for Saperton read Sapperton