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John Ray was born in the village of Black Notley.

He is said to have been born in the smithy, his father having been the village blacksmith.

He was sent at the age of sixteen to Cambridge University: studying at Trinity College and Catharine Hall.

His tutor at Trinity was James Duport, and his intimate friend and fellow-pupil the celebrated Isaac Barrow.

Ray was chosen minor fellow of Trinity in 1649, and later major fellow.

He held many college offices, becoming successively lecturer in Greek ( 1651 ), mathematics ( 1653 ), and humanity ( 1655 ), praelector ( 1657 ), junior dean ( 1657 ), and college steward ( 1659 and 1660 ); and according to the habit of the time, he was accustomed to preach in his college chapel and also at Great St Mary's, long before he took holy orders on 23 December 1660.

Among these sermons were his discourses on The wisdom of God manifested in the works of the creation, and Deluge and Dissolution of the World.

Ray's reputation was high also as a tutor ; and he communicated his own passion for natural history to several pupils, of whom Francis Willughby is by far the most famous.