Henry Tilson (bishop)

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Henry Tilson (baptised 1577 – 1655) was an Irish Anglican bishop who served as Bishop of Elphin from 1639 until his death. He was born in Midgley, Yorkshire, England. He studied at Oxford, earning a BA from Balliol College in 1597, becoming a fellow of University College in 1599, and gaining an MA in 1601. He worked as rector of Stanmer in Sussex and as vicar of Rochdale in Lancashire.

Tilson went to Ireland as the chaplain of Thomas Wentworth, the Earl of Strafford, and received church promotion there. He was Dean of Christ Church, Dublin (1634–1639) and Archdeacon of Connor (1635–1639) before being consecrated Bishop of Elphin on 23 September 1639.

In 1645 he left Ireland to escape the 1641 rebellion and stayed at Soothill Hall in Yorkshire with the Southwell family. He continued to preach at Cumberworth and died at Soothill Hall on 31 March 1655. He was buried in Dewsbury.