Career
He was translated again in 1771 to become Bishop of Durham, which see he held until his death in 1787. In 1766 Egerton caused controversy by appointing a monoglot English priest, Doctor Thomas Bowles, to the parish of Street Beuno, Trefdraeth and its chapelry of Street Cwyfan, Llangwyfan. All but five of the parishioners spoke only Welsh, so the parishioners and churchwardens of Trefdraeth petitioned against Bowles" appointment, with the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion supporting and helping to fund their case.
The Court of Arches heard evidence in the case in May 1770 but did not hear the prosecution and defence arguments until January 1773.
The prosecution argued that Bowles" inability to minister in Welsh contravened Article XXV of the Articles of Religion, the Acting for the Translation of the Scriptures into Welsh 1563 and the Acting of Uniformity 1662. The defence argued that the prosecution would have to prove that Bowles was totally incapable of speaking any Welsh at all, and even if they did so Bowles had lawfully been granted the ecclesiastical freehold and therefore could not be deprived of lieutenant
The case was judged by Dean of Arches, George Hay. He agreed with the prosecution that only clergy who could speak Welsh should be appointed to Welsh-speaking parishes.
However, he agreed with the defence that the case to deprive Bowles of the living had not been proved.
He therefore allowed Bowles remain in post, which he did until he died in November of that year. Bowles was then replaced in the parish and chapelry with Richard Griffith, a priest who spoke Welsh. Egerton was the eldest son of Henry Egerton, Bishop of Hereford, himself a younger son of the 3rd Earl of Bridgewater.
Egerton served under his father as Dean of Hereford and was later Bishop of Bangor 1756-1768, Bishop of Lichfield 1768-1771 and Bishop of Durham from 1771 until his death in 1787.
They had three children:
Amelia (1751–1809), married Sir Abraham Hume, 2nd Baronet. John William, later 7th Earl of Bridgewater (1753–1823)
Francis Henry, later 8th Earl of Bridgewater (1756–1829)
Lady Anne died in 1780, and on 31 March 1782, Egerton married Mary Boughton, a sister of Sir Edward Boughton.
