Historical Book to Return to Original Home After 239 Years

A 250 year old book, donated to a Wrexham Charity shop, is to be returned to its original home.

Nightingale House Hospice are used to having all sorts of items donated to their charity shops, however were shocked when a 1766 Book of Common Prayer was donated to one of of its stores.

The book, a 1766 Book of Common Prayer, was given to Worthenbury Church on 6th October 1773 by the then Rector Philip Puleston, according to an inscription on the fly sheet. It is likely to have been a reprint of a much earlier book, judging by the content style.

Speaking about the find, Nightingale House Retail Development Manager, John Donnelly said: “We are used to all sorts of unusual items being donated to the Nightingale House Hospice shops but this one really did take us aback. To hold something with so much history is absolutely fascinating so we set to work researching all we could glean from the contents.”

The research turned up a dedicated website to the Puleston family produced by Mr Hadyn Puleston Jones, who lives in Kent. The site gives extensive details on the Puleston family, going back to the 13th century. He was able to give some extensive details on Philip Puleston and his link to the Puleston Estate in Worthenbury.

Mr Puleston Jones said: “The Rev Philip Puleston was rector of Worthenbury, formerly in Flintshire but now in Wrexham. He was the son of John Puleston of nearby Pickhill Hall and his wife Eleanor (nee Bayley) and inherited the Pickhill estate on his father’s death in 1748. Pickhill is now divided into flats.

“Philip’s first wife was Mary, daughter of John Egerton esq of Broxton, Cheshire. His second wife was Annabella, sister and co-heir of Watkins Williams esq of Penbedw, who was MP for Montgomeryshire. Philip and Annabella had two daughters, Annabella and Elizabeth. Philip died on 27 January 1801.”

The original Book of Common Prayer was published in 1549, in the reign of Edward VI and was a product of the English Reformation following the break with Rome.

This book was soon succeeded by a more reformed revision in 1552. It was used only for a few months, as after Edward VI’s death in 1553, his half-sister Mary I restored Roman Catholic worship. She herself died in 1558, and in 1559 Elizabeth I reintroduced the 1552 book with a few modifications.

In 1604, James I ordered some further changes and following the tumultuous events leading to and including the English Civil War, another major revision was published in 1662. That edition has remained the official prayer book of the Church of England.

The historical book will be handed back to its original home at Worthenbury Church by Nightingale House Hospice.