Olney Hymns

The Olney Hymns were first published in February 1779 and are the combined work of curateJohn Newton (1725–1807) and his poet friend William Cowper (1731–1800). The hymns were written for use in Newton's rural parish, which was made up of relatively poor and uneducated followers. The Olney Hymns are an illustration of the potent ideologies of the Evangelical movement, to which both men belonged, present in many communities in England at the time.

The Olney Hymns were very popular; by 1836, there had been 37 recorded editions, and it is likely that many other editions were printed in both Britain and America. As hymn-singing gained popularity in the nineteenth century, many (around 25) of the hymns were reproduced in other hymn-books and pamphlets. Today, around six of the original 348 Olney Hymns regularly feature in modern church worship, the most famous of which is "Amazing Grace". Other well-known hymns include Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken and How sweet the name of Jesus sounds. "Amazing Grace" as it is popularly known was first set to the tune "New Britain" by William Walker in The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion in 1835.