John Darwall (1731–1789) was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

clergyman Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...

and

hymn A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn'' ...

odist. Born in the village of Haughton in

Staffordshire Staffordshire (; postal abbreviation Staffs.) is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. It borders Cheshire to the northwest, Derbyshire and Leicestershire to the east, Warwickshire to the southeast, the West Midlands Cou ...

, Darwall was educated at

Manchester Grammar School The Manchester Grammar School (MGS) in Manchester, England, is the largest independent school (UK), independent day school for boys in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1515 as a Grammar school#free tuition, free grammar school next to Manchester C ...

and at

Brasenose College, Oxford Brasenose College (BNC) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It began as Brasenose Hall in the 13th century, before being founded as a college in 1509. The library and chapel were added in the mi ...

(which he entered at the age of 15), graduating in 1756. He then became curate and later vicar of St Matthew's Parish in Walsall. In 1766 he married

Mary Whateley Mary Darwall (née Whateley; 1738 – 5 December 1825), who sometimes wrote as Harriett Airey, was an English poet and playwright. She belonged to the Shenstone Circle of writers gathered round William Shenstone in the English Midlands. She la ...

(1738–1825), his second wife, a published poet who ran a printing press and also wrote hymns. He died on 18 December 1789 at

Walsall Walsall (, or ; locally ) is a market town and administrative centre in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands County, England. Historic counties of England, Historically part of Staffordshire, it is located north-west of Birmingham, east ...

in the

West Midlands West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic word passed into some ...

. He was buried at the Bath Street Burial Grounds. He is probably best known for his setting of

Psalm 148 Psalm 148 is the 148th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Praise ye the Lord from the heavens". In Latin, it is known as "Laudate Dominum de caelis". The psalm is one of the Laudate psalms. Old Testamen ...

, known as DARWALL'S 148th, which is most often sung to the words "Rejoice the Lord is King" (from

Charles Wesley Charles Wesley (18 December 1707 – 29 March 1788) was an English leader of the Methodist movement. Wesley was a prolific hymnwriter who wrote over 6,500 hymns during his lifetime. His works include " And Can It Be", " Christ the Lord Is Risen ...

's ''Moral and Sacred Poems'' of 1744) and to "Ye holy angels bright" (from

Richard Baxter Richard Baxter (12 November 1615 – 8 December 1691) was an English Puritan church leader, poet, hymnodist, theologian, and controversialist. Dean Stanley called him "the chief of English Protestant Schoolmen". After some false starts, he ...

's ''Poetical Fragments'' of 1681). It was first sung at the inauguration of a new organ in 1773. Darwall also wrote many tunes for the ''New Version'' of

Nahum Tate Nahum Tate ( ; 1652 – 30 July 1715) was an Irish poet, hymnist and lyricist, who became Poet Laureate in 1692. Tate is best known for ''The History of King Lear'', his 1681 adaptation of Shakespeare's ''King Lear'', and for his libretto for ...

and Nicholas Brady, as well as poetry published in ''

The Gentleman's Magazine ''The Gentleman's Magazine'' was a monthly magazine founded in London, England, by Edward Cave in January 1731. It ran uninterrupted for almost 200 years, until 1922. It was the first to use the term ''magazine'' (from the French ''magazine'' ...

''.

Son

Darwall's son, also John, was vicar in 1796 and Lecturer of St John's Chapel,

Deritend Deritend is a historic area of Birmingham, England, built around a crossing point of the River Rea. It is first mentioned in 1276. Today Deritend is usually considered to be part of Digbeth. History Deritend was a crossing point of the River Rea ...

, Birmingham.''Street Names of Walsall, volume 1'' of the series Street Names of Walsall Metropolitan Borough. Based on the original unpublished work by W.F. Blay with additional research by Walsall Local History Centre. Published by Walsal Metropolitan Borough Council's Walsall Local History Centre, 1992. .

References

External links

Biography
at the Cyber Hymnal {{DEFAULTSORT:Darwall, John 1731 births 1789 deaths People from the Borough of Stafford Alumni of Brasenose College, Oxford English hymnwriters 18th-century English poets 18th-century English Anglican priests 18th-century English writers 18th-century English male writers English composers