The Vicar of Hell
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A name playfully given by Henry VIII to John Skelton, his "poet laureate," perhaps because Skelton was rector of Diss, in Norfolk, the pun being on
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “The Vicar of Hell” mean?
A name playfully given by Henry VIII to John Skelton, his "poet laureate," perhaps because Skelton was rector of Diss, in Norfolk, the pun being on
Is “The Vicar of Hell” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.