St Mary Redcliffe Church - Slideshow

St Mary Redcliffe Engraving by Toms Kator

St Mary Redcliffe Church was at the centre of Chatterton's life from the start. He was baptised here on the 1st January, 1753, and received his confirmation sometime between 1762-1764, from Bishop Newton, a man he later came to despise : View.

Chatterton's sister, Mary Newton, and Dr. Lort (B11457), say that Chatterton was confirmed in 1764. Taylor states that if it was 1764 then 'On the Last Epiphany' is not by Chatterton. Meyerstein disagrees and seems convinced that it is Chatterton's work. It's just another one of the Chatterton conundrums.

At around 10 years of age, Chatterton, according to his sister, "Was more cheerful After he began to write poetry."

The engraving of St Mary Redcliffe, above, is by William Henry Toms, it shows the church as Chatterton would have seen it. It lost its spire in 1446 after a lightning Strike. It is said that the engraving adorned a wall of the house of Mr Kator, a Sugar-Baker. The son of the family, Henry Kator, was a friend of Chatterton's, so it is reasonable to assume that Chatterton saw the engraving and would have been influenced by it.

Script Detail Toms Halfpenny St Mary Redcliffe Engraving

The historic details on the engraving is said to refute the claim by Rowleyites that Chatterton could only have learned the history of St Mary Redcliffe church from the manuscripts in Canynges' Coffer, which was stored in the Muniment Room of the church - Click the image for a close-up view.