John Covel (2 April 1638 – 19 December 1722) was a clergyman and scientist who became Master of Christ's College, Cambridge and vice-chancellor of the University.^[1]

Born at Horningsheath, Suffolk, the son of William Covel, John Covel was educated at Bury St Edmunds school and Christ's College, Cambridge, where he was made a fellow in 1659.^[2] In 1670 he went to Constantinople as Chaplain to the Levant Company. For two years he was in sole charge of the English Embassy there after the previous ambassador died.^[3]

Covel travelled widely in Asia Minor and described the buildings and plants which he saw. He purchased many Greek manuscripts (including codices 65, 110, 321, 322, and ℓ 150).

After his return, Covel spent the winter of 1680/1681 in Suffolk suffering with fever,^[4] before becoming Chaplain to the Princess of Orange in The Hague (1681–1685). He was then elected the 15th Master of Christ's in 1688, a position he held until 1723.^[5]

In his later years, Covel helped to develop the study of fossils.^[6]

• Jean-Pierre Grélois, ed., Dr John Covel, Voyages en Turquie 1675–1677. Texte établi, annoté et traduit par Jean-Piere Grélois, avec une préface de Cyril Mango (Réalités Byzantines 6). Paris, 1998. ISBN 978-2-283-60456-4
• Covel, John (1893). "Extracts from the diaries of John Covel (1870-1879)". In Bent, J. Theodore (ed.). Early voyages and travels in the Levant. London: Hakluyt Society. pp. 99–287.
• "John Covel". Electronic Enlightenment Biographical Dictionary. 2019. doi:10.13051/ee:bio/coveljohn0004729.