Blickling Psalter facts for kids

The Blickling Psalter, also known as the Lothian Psalter, is a very old and special book. It was made in the 700s, which is the 8th century! This book is an illuminated manuscript. That means it's a handwritten book with beautiful pictures and decorations.

The Blickling Psalter contains the Roman Psalter, which is a collection of songs and prayers from the Bible. What makes it extra special are the two sets of notes written in Old English. These notes are called "glosses."

The Oldest English Bible Notes

One set of notes in the Blickling Psalter is super important. It's the oldest surviving English translation of the Bible! It's not a full Bible, just small parts. These notes are like little explanations or translations. They are written in the margins or between the lines of the main text.

There are 26 of these special notes. They are often called "red glosses" because they were mostly written in red ink. One person, called a scribe, wrote all these red notes. They used a special old handwriting style called West Saxon minuscule. This style was also used in other old documents, like those from Æthelwulf, who was King of Wessex from 839 to 858.

People have studied these notes for a long time. They were first shared with the public in 1876. Later, other experts like Henry Sweet and Karl Wildhagen helped correct and understand them better.

What's Inside the Book

Sadly, not all of the original Blickling Psalter has survived. Only some parts of the Psalms are still in the book today. For example, you can find:

• Psalms 31.3–36.15 on pages 1–5
• Psalms 36.39–50.19 on pages 6–16
• Psalm 9.9–30 on page 64

Part of a Special Group

The Blickling Psalter is sometimes grouped with other similar old books. This group is called the Tiberius group. These books were made in Southern England and have a similar artistic style. Other books in this group include the Vespasian Psalter, the Stockholm Codex Aureus, the Barberini Gospels, and the Book of Cerne. They are all amazing examples of early English art and writing!

See also

• Old English Bible translations