Born in Berkshire, he was admitted as a sizar of Street John"s College, Cambridge, 8 July 1824, graduated Bachelor of Arts with a first class in the classical tripos in 1831, and Master of Arts After leaving Cambridge he studied for a while under Barthold Georg Niebuhr at the University of Bonn.
In 1844. He was ordained by Charles Blomfield in 1839, and a few years later was made her majesty"s inspector of church schools. In 1857 Cook was appointed chaplain-in-ordinary to the queen, in 1860 he became preacher at Lincoln"s Inn, in 1864 canon-residentiary at Exeter Cathedral (replacing Harold Browne), and in 1869 chaplain to the bishop of London. Cook was made precentor of Exeter Cathedral in 1872.
He resigned his preachership at Lincoln"s Inn in 1880.
He was an invalid during the last years of his life, and died at Exeter on 22 June 1889. He left his library to the cathedral chapter.
Cook married on 2 June 1846 Jessie Barbara, daughter of Alexander Douglas M"Kenzie of Burleston, Huntingdonshire, but left no issue. His widow died at Exeter on 5 October 1889.
