Sabine Baring-Gould

The lecture at the Museum was about the Rev. Sabine Baring-Gould, composer of the hymn Onward Christian Soldiers. His life is a story in itself - an unconventional childhood, his marriage to a mill-girl half his age, with whom he had 15 children, and his dedication to antiquarian pursuits alongside his life as squire and parson of a small Devonshire village. He was regarded as one of the top ten novelists of his time, but wrote prolifically on his travels, religious matters, historical figures and on many other topics. Over 1200 publications are listed in his bibliography.

He was a folklorist, who regarded his greatest achievement to be his collection of songs, collected in Devon and Cornwall.

In the afternoon we went to Clennon Valley where the heron was waiting. Bird of the day was a kingfisher