John Collinson (historian)
John Collinson (19 July 1757 – 27 August 1793) was an English cleric, antiquarian]and historian. He is best known for his three-volume history of Somerset which he published at the age of 34, two years before his death, and which earned him the title of "the Somerset historian". Life Collinson was the son of the Rev. John Collinson of Bromham, Wiltshire, where he was born on 19 July 1757. He matriculated at Brasenose College, Oxford in 1775, but did not complete a degree course. He was ordained deacon in 1779 with the sponsorship of the Rev. Thomas Meyler (c.1718–1786), having made further studies at The Queen's College, Oxford. He was then curate to Meyler in 1780 at Marlborough. Collinson moved to Cirencester where in 1781 he married. In 1782 he was appointed vicar of Clanfield, Oxfordshire. At this period he published one book, and issued proposals for county histories, firstly of Wiltshire and then of Somerset. He associated with the antiquarians Joseph Kilner and Samuel Rudder, and in 1784 was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London, backed by Daines Barrington, William Boys and Edward Hasted. In 1787 Collinson became vicar of Long Ashton and perpetual curate