Born: April 9, 1747, Hinckley, Leicestershire, England.
Died: August 10, 1817, Southerndown, Glamorganshire.
Buried: Lewin’s Mead Chapel, Bristol, England.
Estlin’s early education was undertaken by his uncle, John Prior, vicar of Ashby-de-la-Zouch, and chaplain to the Earl of Moira.
In 1764, he entered Warrington Academy, where the divinity chair was filled by John Aikin.
In 1770, he accepted an invitation to become the colleague of Thomas Wright at the chapel at Lewin’s Mead, Bristol. He began his duties there in January 1771.
Estlin soon afterward opened a school at St. Michael’s Hill, Bristol, which met with great success, some of his pupils rising to eminence in parliament and the professions.
His pupils held him in such esteem that they obtained the degree of LL.D. for him without his knowledge (Glasgow, conferred 1807).
Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Robert Southey, Joseph Priestley, Anna Barbauld, and Robert Hall were among his friends.
Estlin’s sight began to fail around 1816. In 1817, he resigned his pulpit, receiving a large sum of money from his congregation as a testimonial. After preaching his farewell sermon on June 22, he retired to a cottage he had built for himself at his favorite summer haunt in Southerndown, Glamorganshire.