Sabine Baring-Gould
A Short Biography
SABINE BARING-GOULD
Sabine Baring-Gould was an Anglican priest and noted scholar, hagiographer, folk song composer and enthusiast, as well as a remarkably prolific writer and novelist. Interestingly, even though his bibliography comprises well over 1,200 publications, he is best known as the author of the extremely enduring Christian hymn ‘Onward, Christian Soldiers.’
BIRTH AND LIFE
Sabine Baring-Gould was born in Exeter on the 28th of January in 1834. He was the first-born son to father, Edward Baring-Gould, and mother, Sophia Charlotte Bond. Edward was lord of the manor of Lew Trenchard and a Justice of the Peace. His mother, Sophia, was the daughter of the respected admiral of His Majesty’s Royal Navy, Francis Godolphin Bond. In fact, Baring-Gould could trace his impressive family lineage all the way back to the crusades.
Coming from rank and privilege, Baring-Gould gained most of his education in his early years from private tutors while he and his family traveled around Europe. In 1852, he attended Cambridge University, earning his BA in 1857. Baring-Gould continued his education by obtaining his MA from Clare College, a constituent of the University of Cambridge, in 1860.
In the early 1850s, Sabine made it known that he felt called to a life in service of the church, and in 1864, he took his Holy Orders. He first became the curate at Horbury Bridge, which he left after a few years to become Perpetual Curate at Dalton. Staying but a few years in Dalton, Baring-Gould then moved on to become the rector of East Mersea in Essex in 1871. It was there that he remained the rector for the next decade. In 1881, the Trenchard Parish, which was inherited by him as a part of his family’s estate upon the death of his father in 1972, became vacant. Baring-Gould, who was already the squire, could now appoint himself the Parson and return to his ancestral home.
While Sabine was the acting curate of Horbury Bridge in the mid-1860s, he met a local mill-hand’s daughter, the young Grace Taylor. Over the next few years, the relationship between Sabine and Grace took root and bloomed and, in 1868, he and Grace became husband and wife. Over the course of their 48-year marriage, the couple had 15 children. In 1916 he buried Grace and had carved on her tombstone ‘Dimidium Animae Meae’ (the Latin phrase for ‘half my soul,’ but more often translated as ‘my better half’). Sabine Baring-Gould would never marry again. He remained in love with Grace until his dying day, at which time he was laid to rest right next to his beloved.
HIS WORK
Although Baring-Gould is principally remembered among the masses as a hymn writer, his name is still viewed with reverence among specific, specialized smaller groups.
Among hagiographers, his 16 volume collection, ‘The Lives of the Saints,’ is well-known and still often cited. People into folklore, myths, and superstitions — especially those interested in the Middle Ages — still enjoy his two-volume set ‘Curious Myths of the Middle Ages,’ that he published in 1866 and 1868. Folks that are fascinated and study Werewolves, soon find ‘The Book of Were-wolves’ that Baring-Gould published back in 1865.
Baring-Gould, along with his many novels, published close to 200 short stories spread across numerous magazines and periodicals. Many of these were later gathered (mostly by the author himself) and put into anthologies, such as ‘A Book of Ghost’ that contained some of his best short tales published in 1904.
There is no doubt that Sabine Baring-Gould will remain a prominent name in religious circles. However, with his works totaling nearly 1,300 publications, Baring-Gould’s name won’t be disappearing from certain literary circles anytime soon either.
INTERESTING AND NOTABLES
It wasn’t just his parents’ status and influence that kept Baring-Gould with private tutors and traveling through Europe. Sabine had developed a bronchial disease in his youth that continued to plague him for the rest of his long life.
Baring-Gould was also an amateur archeologist and antiquarian. In 1892, along with a friend, Sabine helped organize the first scientific archeological excavations of hut-circles on Dartmoor at Grimspound. This work continued, with the help of others, and led to the founding of the Devonshire Association for the Exploration of Dartmoor.
The Baring-Gould hyphen in Sabine’s name had a very interesting origin. His paternal grandfather, William Baring, assumed it in 1795 by royal license. They included this surname and arms of Gould in his inheritance from his mother, Margaret Gould, the heiress of William Drake Gould of Lew Trenchard.
DEATH AND IMPACT
On the 2nd of January 1924, at the age of 89, Sabine Baring-Gould passed away in his home at Lew Trenchard. He is buried next to his beloved wife. Normally, it’s fairly easy to pinpoint a writer’s one or two major areas of impact. However, with Baring-Gould, throughout his long life, he was involved in so many wide and varied interests — and where he had an interest; the man had an impact. Where he lived, Sabine rebuilt his family’s estate and brought archeological advancements to his area. Where he worked, Sabine’s religious research and studies are still used, and they still sing his hymns across the globe. Where he had interest, Sabine wrote, and wrote well. Where he loved, Sabine loved, and loved until his end.
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