ABSTRACT
This chapter traces Davidson’s career before he became Archbishop. Davidson was ordained soon after leaving Oxford. A few years later, he was appointed as Chaplain to Archbishop Tait, which allowed him to develop his understanding of the way in which the Church of England operated. He became Dean of Windsor at a young age, a post which allowed him to become close to Queen Victoria, and royal patronage undoubtedly helped his career to develop in the years that followed. He was, after leaving Windsor, appointed Bishop of Rochester and, subsequently, Bishop of Winchester. Davidson proved to be an able administrator. He was also an adroit ecclesiastical politician who recognised the need to manage the tensions between the Evangelical and Anglo-Catholic wings of the Church of England. Davidson’s early career shows that he was deeply committed to the principle of ‘Establishment’ and the preservation of the Church of England’s status as the National Church.
