A 400-year-old Bible has been donated to St Cuthbert’s Church in Darlington, UK, in a bid to help the church raise funds to extend its opening hours during the week.
The rare artifact, known as a “She Bible,” was donated by local resident Kerry Eaton. Reverend James Harvey expressed the church’s delight in receiving such a significant gift. “It is truly amazing to think that this Bible was being read over 400 years ago,” he said.
The She Bible gets its name from an error in Chapter 3, Verse 15 of the Book of Ruth, which mistakenly reads: “She went into the city” instead of “he.” Only a few copies of this version still exist today, with some held by prestigious institutions such as Oxford and Cambridge universities, as well as Salisbury, Exeter, and Durham cathedrals.
Kerry Eaton donated the Bible after purchasing it for £40 at a thrift festival in 2012 for her friend, Dr. James Lycett, a Darlington resident. Dr. Lycett read the Bible daily until his passing last year, at which point he bequeathed the Bible to Ms. Eaton.
Ms. Eaton said, “Jim did the research to establish it was a ‘She Bible.’ For him, even when he knew it had a monetary value, he saw the true value in the text and the Christian heritage.”
The Bible is valued at approximately £10,000, and the church plans to sell it as part of its fundraising efforts to expand access to the church. Currently, the church is only open on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
Reverend Harvey emphasized the church’s need to become “fit for the 21st century” and to offer a venue that serves the broader community, including those involved in music, arts, and culture in Darlington. “Whilst our church offers uplifting worship and hospitality, our church doors remain shut for the vast majority of the week,” he explained. “We want to offer a fit-for-purpose venue that serves all the people.”
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