Background
Squire was the son of a druggist in Warminster, Wiltshire, and was first educated at Lord Weymouth's Grammar School.
Squire was the son of a druggist in Warminster, Wiltshire, and was first educated at Lord Weymouth's Grammar School.
He matriculated at St John's College, Cambridge in 1730 and graduated Bachelor in 1734, winning the Craven scholarship the same year.
He was elected a fellow of Saint John's in 1735, proceeded Master of Arts in 1737, and was made a Doctor of Divinity in 1749. In 1743 was made a canon of Wells Cathedral, and Archdeacon of Bath, holding both preferments until 1761. He was briefly Dean of Bristol (1760) and was finally appointed Bishop of Saint David's in 1761.
Adding to his growing number of parish livings, he was appointed rector of Toppesfield, Essex (1749-1750) and subsequently of Saint Anne's Church, Soho (1750-1766), and vicar of Saint Alphege's, Greenwich (1751-1766), where William Paley, who later achieved fame as a theologian and philosopher, served as his curate. His attainment of offices was due to his open attachment to the court Whigs. He was chaplain to the Duke of Newcastle, whose use of patronage for the court Whig interest was renowned.
Royal Society.