Historic bible treasures

Thomas Baldwin reports on two historic bibles found in a West Lothian church.

TWO historic bibles, found in a church building that was being closed down, have been put on display in a showcase in Bathgate Partnership Centre, in West Lothian.

The two volumes, which date back to the 17th century, were discovered in the vestry library in St John’s Church, Bathgate, when it closed in April 2024 in a union with Bathgate High Church.

One is a special rarity: a Latin bible published in 1624, containing a translation of the Old Testament from Hebrew, and two translations of the New Testament printed in parallel columns: one from the original Greek text, and the other from an early version in Syriac.

The translations were made by Protestant scholars who used Latin, the international language of scholarship at the time.

The Bible was intended to challenge the accuracy of the Latin translation of the bible known as the Vulgate, made by Saint Jerome in the late 4th century, which was in use in the Roman Catholic Church.

The other is a 1668 republication of the famous translation of the Bible into English authorised by King James VI of Scotland (James I of England) in 1611 for use in all churches in the United Kingdom. It has a frontispiece (decorative title page) indicating that it was printed in Cambridge by John Field, Printer to the University.

It has been bound together with a book of metrical psalms authorised for use by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, and printed in Edinburgh in 1696. The printer was a woman, Agnes Anderson, née Campbell, although this is disguised by the statement that the book was printed by ‘the heirs and assigns of Andrew Anderson’. He had been the King’s printer in Scotland until his death in 1676. Agnes, as his widow, took over the office, continuing to own and manage the printing press for many years. Some of the pages in both parts of the volume were damaged, including the 1668 title page, but they have been restored by RDW Book and Paper Conservation of Falkirk.

A third volume, a grand Victorian illustrated bible, discovered at the same time, will be exchanged in the display with the other two from time to time.

After the bibles were discovered, their importance was recognised by the chairman of the Repurposing Committee. The Session of the newly formed Bathgate Parish Church was asked for its permission to allow the Bibles to stay in Bathgate. This was agreed, and they were transferred on long term renewable loan to West Lothian Museums and Archives.

The installation and display were made possible by Emma Peattie, heritage manager of the Museums and Archives Service of West Lothian Council, who provided the showcase and set up the display. Bill Weir, chair of the Bathgate Community Centre Management Association, paid for the restoration of the 1668 bible and provided space for the showcase in the foyer of the Partnership Centre.

A display board explaining the significance of the bibles will be provided by Bathgate Churches Together.