Thomas Birch

Thomas Birch DCL (1766 – 25 February 1840) was the Archdeacon of Lewes from 1823 until 1840. Birch was born in 1766, son of Rev. Thomas Birch, who was Rector of Thoresby in Lincolnshire. He was educated at Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood until 1785 when he was elected a fellow at St John's College, Oxford. He was also Dean of Battle (appointed 1801), and chaplain to the House of Correction in Battle, East Sussex (appointed in 1834). Birch was highly respected and in his office as Dean of Battle in 1820 he performed the baptism of the second son of Sir Godfrey Webster, 5th Baronet in the presence of the child's godfather, Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex.

Birch was described in The Gentleman's Magazine as "amiable, learned, and pious". They had four sons and five daughters.