Robert Hill was born in Condicote, Gloucestershire in 1680, the son of Robert Hill who was Rector of the parish. He was baptised in the church at Condicote on 2nd July 1680. Robert Hill Senior had become Rector of Condicote in 1676, a position which he held until his death in 1726. He was also Vicar of Longborough from 1684 until his death.
Robert Hill Junior was educated at Pembroke College, Oxford. He matriculated on 27th March 1697, aged 16, gained BA in 1700 and MA in 1703. He followed his father into the church, becoming Rector of Stanhoe and Vicar of Barwick, Norfolk, in 1701. On 29th May 1705 he became Vicar of Badsey, and of Wickhamford, remaining in Badsey until his death 26 years later.
On 12th January 1710, Robert Hill married Alice Saunders at Stanway, Gloucestershire. They had six sons, all baptised at Badsey: Robert (1711-1722), Joseph (1713), Thomas (1714), William (1716), James (1718) and Robert (1724).
Reverend Hill died at Badsey in January 1730/31 (the date in the burial register says 1730 – this was according to the Julian calendar in use then, but was actually 1731). He was buried at Badsey on 31st January 1731, his wife and eldest son having predeceased him. The five surviving children, the eldest aged 17 and the youngest aged five, were now orphans.
Robert Hill’s will is fairly short, so possibly it was made in a hurry if he knew he was dying. It does not state when it was made, but presumably it was just before his death. Bequests were made as follows:
- To his eldest surviving son, Joseph, a freehold estate at Bromyard and Hardwick, Herefordshire, which Reverend Hill had inherited from his Aunt Olive
- To his son, Thomas, a freehold estate at Sandhurst, Gloucestershire, held by Reverend Hill’s sister, Dorothy, for her lifetime
- To his son, William, the leasehold estate near The Cross in Gloucester
- To his son, James, £100
- To his son, Robert, £50