Born at Rochester, he was educated at Westminster School and the University of Oxford. He was ordained in 1818, and was appointed vicar of Cowley, Oxford, in 1823. In 1827 he received the rectory of West Tytherley, Hampshire, and two years later he was elected headmaster of Harrow School. He held this appointment until 1836, when he was consecrated bishop of the new see of Ripon. In 1856 he became the Bishop of Durham and in 1860 he was translated to the see of York.

In 1862 he succeeded John Bird Sumner as Archbishop of Canterbury. Shortly after his selection, he was forced to deal with the issue of Bishop Colenso’s deposition. While regarding Colenso’s opinions as heretical and his deposition as justifiable, he nevertheless refused to pronounce upon the legal difficulties of the case.

The chief event of his primacy was the meeting at Lambeth in 1867 of the first Pan-Anglican conference of British, colonial and foreign bishops. His published works included numerous sermons.

Archbishop Longley died at Addington Park, near Croydon, on 27 October 1868.

Photographed by Dickinsons of 114, New Bond Street, London.