Among the treasures currently on display in the North East Aisle of Chichester Cathedral, is a small volume that offers a fascinating glimpse into eighteenth-century life in the city.
A Collection of Psalms to the Old Tunes, Sung by the Charity Children of the City of Chichester was printed in 1761 by W. Faden and produced specifically for use in Chichester. The volume has been selected from the collections of the Cathedral Library, which holds hundreds of books and manuscripts relating to theology, music, local history and the life of the Church. Together, these collections provide an invaluable record of the Cathedral's history and its place within the wider community. Visitors can explore a regularly changing display of books and manuscripts in the North East Aisle, where items from the collection are brought into public view throughout the year.
This particular volume is notable for its connection to the Oliver Whitby Charitable Foundation. The charity school referred to in the title was founded through a bequest from Oliver Whitby (1664–1703), a lawyer and the son of the Venerable Oliver Whitby (c.1602–1679), an Anglican priest and Archdeacon of Chichester. In accordance with his wishes, a school was established to educate poor boys from Chichester, West Wittering and Harting. The 'Bluecoat' school in Chichester opened in 1712.
The school stood on the site later occupied by the House of Fraser store on Chichester's West Street, directly opposite the Cathedral. It remained there until being partially destroyed by bombing in 1943, before eventually closing in 1950. Whitby's legacy can still be traced elsewhere in Sussex: the schoolhouse now displayed at the Weald and Downland Living Museum was also founded through the same charitable endowment.
Beyond its historical significance, the book offers intriguing insights into the lives of those who owned and used it. The volume bears the names of several previous owners, including a Thomas Nash, who inscribed and annotated it in 1774. These marks of ownership help to connect the book with the people who passed it from hand to hand over the centuries.
Perhaps most revealing are the notes and calculations scattered throughout its pages. Margins and blank spaces have been filled with mathematical exercises, providing evidence of the lessons learned by the schoolchildren who used the book. Such annotations transform the volume from a simple songbook into a vivid record of everyday life, education and worship in eighteenth-century Chichester.
The songbook also has a special resonance this year as Chichester Cathedral hosts the Southern Cathedrals Festival from 16 - 19 July. Bringing together the choirs of Chichester, Salisbury and Winchester Cathedrals, the Festival celebrates a rich shared tradition of church music. This small volume serves as a reminder that singing has long been woven into the life of the city, linking generations of worshippers, schoolchildren and musicians across more than two and a half centuries.
Visitors are welcome to view this remarkable book, alongside other highlights from the Cathedral Library's collections, in the regularly changing display in the North East Aisle.