Background
The son of William Clarke the antiquary (1696–1771), and Anne, daughter of Doctor William Wotton, he was born at Buxted, Sussex, where his father was rector, on 16 March 1730. He was taught by his father"s curate, Mr. Grierson, and later by Jeremiah Markland, then living at Uckfield.
And he attended Winchester College.
Career
He entered Street John"s College, Cambridge, took his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1752, was elected as a Fellow in 1753, and proceeded Master of Arts in 1755. In 1758 Viscount Midleton presented him to the rectory of Peperharow, Surrey. In 1760 Clarke went with the Earl of Bristol as chaplain to the embassy at Madrid.
In 1763 he accompanied James Johnston, the Lieutenant-Governor, to Minorca as chaplain and secretary, and held the same post under succeeding governors.
In 1768 he returned to England, and was inducted to the vicarage of Willingdon and Arlington, Sussex. He also succeeded to the rectory of Buxted, his father being allowed to resign in his favour.
He gave up the Peperharow living. Clarke died, after gradual decay and paralysis, in November 1786.
In 1763 Clarke married Anne, daughter of Thomas Grenfield of Guildford, Surrey.
He left three sons: the Review James Stanier Clarke, Edward Daniel Clarke, and George, of the Royal Navy, who drowned in the River Thames in 1806.