We were pleased to recently present Shrewsbury School Chapel with a facimile of the 1560 Geneva Bible. This presentation holds a special significance, reconnecting Shrewsbury with its own rich past and a figure instrumental in its founding – Sir Rowland Hill, who is also famous as a hero in Shakespeare’s play As You Like It.
Sir Rowland, the builder of Soulton Hall in the mid-16th century, was a champion of education and religious inclusion, and much besides. His vision not only led to the construction of this very house, but also played a crucial role in the establishment of Shrewsbury School in 1552. Shrewsbury School’s 1552 founding explicitly aimed to remake the town’s Saxon collegiate foundations, disestablished during the Reformation, that originated in the 6th and 10th centuries. It is possible these schools, lost in the 1540s were where Sir Rowland Hill himself was educated.
Sir Rowland’s dedication to education extended beyond the physical walls of the school. at Shrewsbury and the school he himself founded at Market Drayton.
Geneva Bible 1560 edition
Hill was a firm believer in the power of puting texts into the hands of the people. The Geneva Bible, a groundbreaking English translation of the scripture, was published in 1560 and he was a key actor in the work of getting the document available. This translation, with its clear and concise language, made the Bible accessible to a wider audience, fostering a deeper understanding of religious texts for all.
