Edward Caswall
Encyclopedia
Edward Caswall was an Anglican clergyman and hymn
writer who converted to Roman Catholicism.
He was born at Yateley
, Hampshire
, July 15, 1814 son of Rev. R. C. Caswall, sometime Vicar of Yateley, Hampshire. He died at the Oratory
, Edgbaston
, near Birmingham
, January 2, 1878 and was buried at Rednal, near Bromsgrove.
Caswall studied at Brasenose College, Oxford
(B.A., 1836; M.A., 1838). He graduated in 1836 with honors.
He was curate of Stratford-sub-Castle, near Salisbury
, 1840–47. In 1850, his wife having died the previous year, he joined the Oratory of St. Philip Neri under Newman, to whose influence his conversion to Roman Catholicism was due.
He wrote original poems that have mainly survived only in Catholic hymnals due to a clear adherence to Catholic doctrine. Caswell is best known for his translations from the Roman Breviary
and other Latin sources, which are marked by faithfulness to the original and purity of rhythm. They were published in Lyra Catholica, containing all the breviary and missal
hymns (London, 1849); The Masque of Mary (1858); and A May Pageant (1865). Hymns and Prose (1873) are the three books combined with many of the hymns rewritten or revised.
Hymn
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
writer who converted to Roman Catholicism.
He was born at Yateley
Yateley
Yateley is a suburban town and civil parish in the English county of Hampshire. It lies in the north-eastern corner of Hart District Council. It includes the settlements of Frogmore and Darby Green. It had a population of 21,011 according to the 2001 census...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, July 15, 1814 son of Rev. R. C. Caswall, sometime Vicar of Yateley, Hampshire. He died at the Oratory
Birmingham Oratory
The Birmingham Oratory is a Catholic oratory and church, on the Hagley Road, in the Birmingham suburb of Edgbaston in England.-History:The church was constructed between 1907 and 1910 in the Baroque style as a memorial to Cardinal Newman, founder of the English Oratory...
, Edgbaston
Edgbaston
Edgbaston is an area in the city of Birmingham in England. It is also a formal district, managed by its own district committee. The constituency includes the smaller Edgbaston ward and the wards of Bartley Green, Harborne and Quinton....
, near Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, January 2, 1878 and was buried at Rednal, near Bromsgrove.
Caswall studied at Brasenose College, Oxford
Brasenose College, Oxford
Brasenose College, originally Brazen Nose College , is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. As of 2006, it has an estimated financial endowment of £98m...
(B.A., 1836; M.A., 1838). He graduated in 1836 with honors.
He was curate of Stratford-sub-Castle, near Salisbury
Salisbury
Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
, 1840–47. In 1850, his wife having died the previous year, he joined the Oratory of St. Philip Neri under Newman, to whose influence his conversion to Roman Catholicism was due.
He wrote original poems that have mainly survived only in Catholic hymnals due to a clear adherence to Catholic doctrine. Caswell is best known for his translations from the Roman Breviary
Breviary
A breviary is a liturgical book of the Latin liturgical rites of the Catholic Church containing the public or canonical prayers, hymns, the Psalms, readings, and notations for everyday use, especially by bishops, priests, and deacons in the Divine Office...
and other Latin sources, which are marked by faithfulness to the original and purity of rhythm. They were published in Lyra Catholica, containing all the breviary and missal
Missal
A missal is a liturgical book containing all instructions and texts necessary for the celebration of Mass throughout the year.-History:Before the compilation of such books, several books were used when celebrating Mass...
hymns (London, 1849); The Masque of Mary (1858); and A May Pageant (1865). Hymns and Prose (1873) are the three books combined with many of the hymns rewritten or revised.