William Greenwell wasè born 23 March 1820nato in theuna estateproprietà knownnota ascome Greenwell Ford nearvicino [[Lanchester, County Durham|Lanchester]], nella [[CountyDurham (contea)|countea di Durham]], in [[EnglandInghilterra]]. He was the eldestEra sonil offiglio hismaggiore fatherdi William Thomas Greenwell (1777–1856) ande motherdi Dorothy Smales.<ref>{{cite book |author= Sir Bernard Burke |title=A genealogical and heraldic dictionary of the landed gentry of Great Britain & Ireland |volume=Volume 1 |url= http://books.google.com/books?id=161CAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA543 |year= 1871 |publisher=Harrison |edition= 5th |page=543 }}</ref>▼
▲William Greenwell was born 23 March 1820 in the estate known as Greenwell Ford near [[Lanchester, County Durham|Lanchester]], [[County Durham]], [[England]]. He was the eldest son of his father William Thomas Greenwell (1777–1856) and mother Dorothy Smales.<ref>{{cite book |author= Sir Bernard Burke |title=A genealogical and heraldic dictionary of the landed gentry of Great Britain & Ireland |volume=Volume 1 |url= http://books.google.com/books?id=161CAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA543 |year= 1871 |publisher=Harrison |edition= 5th |page=543 }}</ref>
HeAveva hadtre threefratelli youngerpiù giovani brothers Francis, Alan, and [[Henry Nicholas Greenwell]], ande auna sistersorella Dorothy (1821–1882) whoche pubblicò publishedpoesie poetrysotto underil thenome namedi [[Dora Greenwell]].<ref>{{cite book |author=William Dorling |title=Memoirs of Dora Greenwell |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=V355KGC-yucC&pg=PA1 |year=1885 |publisher=J. Clarke |page=1}}</ref>
AfterDopo anuna earlyformazione educationiniziale bycon il Rev. George Newby, hefrequentò attendedla [[Durham School]]. OneUno ofdei suoi compagni hisdi schoolmatesstudi wasera [[Henry Baker Tristram]]. HeSi matriculated atiscrisse all'[[University College, Durham]] in([[Università di Durham]]) nell'ottobre Octoberdel 1836 ande graduatedottenne withil hissuo [[Bachelor of Arts|BA]] innel Junegiugno del 1839. HeIniziò startingil trainingtirocinio toper bediventare a [[barrister]] atal [[Middle Temple]], butma didnon notgli likepiacque [[LondonLondra]] socosì returnedtornò toa [[Durham]] innel 1841 toper studystudiare theologyteologia. <!--He received an [[Master of Arts (postgraduate)|Master of Arts]] in 1843.<ref name="dur">{{cite book |title= Durham University: Earlier Foundations and Present Colleges |author= J. T. Fowler |url= http://www.archive.org/download/durhamuniversity00fowlrich/durhamuniversity00fowlrich.pdf |pages= 150–158 }}</ref>
Greenwell was ordained a [[deacon]] by Bishop [[Edward Maltby]] June 30, 1844 and priest June 28, 1846. He was [[bursar]] of University College in Durham from 1844 to 1847.<ref name="dur"/>
