Anthony Anderson (theologian)

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Anthony Anderson (died 10 October 1593) was an English theological writer and preacher with Puritan leanings. He came from Lancashire and worked for the Archdeacon of Leicester from 1560 to 1569.

One famous episode from his early career involved the Agnes Bowker case in 1569, when it was claimed a woman gave birth to a cat in Leicestershire. Anderson drew a life-size picture of the cat, annotated it, and sent it to Henry Hastings, 3rd Earl of Huntingdon. The drawing travelled to London and the Bishop of London; the case was later dropped, and the drawing is now in the British Library.

Anderson served as rector of Medbourne in Leicestershire for many years, being presented to the benefice in 1573 and holding it until his death in 1593. In early 1587 he was appointed vicar of Stepney near London and rector of Dengie in Essex, which he appears to have held alongside his Medbourne living.

In July 1592 he was promoted to subdean of the Chapel Royal, after earlier serving as gospeller there. His name appears on many Chapel Royal management documents preserved in its archives.

Anthony Anderson died on 10 October 1593. His published works are Puritan in character and include sermons, prayers, and expositions of Scripture. He dedicated one publication to Edmund Anderson, Esq., sergeant-at-law to the queen, suggesting a possible relation to the lord chief justice of that name.