Edward King (antiquarian) facts for kids

Edward King (born around 1735 – died 1807) was an English lawyer and writer. He was best known for his books about old castles and ancient objects.

Life of Edward King

Edward King was born around 1735. He was the only son of Edward King from Norwich. He studied at Clare Hall, Cambridge, starting in 1752.

In 1758, he became a member of Lincoln's Inn, which is a place where lawyers train. He officially became a lawyer in 1763. He inherited a lot of money from his uncle, which meant he didn't have to worry about money. Even so, he worked as a lawyer for many years and was appointed a judge (called a recorder) in King's Lynn.

Edward King was chosen as a member of the Royal Society in 1767. This is a famous group for scientists. He also became a member of the Society of Antiquaries of London in 1770. This group studies old things and history.

In 1784, when the president of the Society of Antiquaries died, Edward King was chosen to take his place. However, it was agreed that Lord De Ferrars would become president a few months later. King tried to get re-elected anyway but was not successful.

Edward King passed away on April 16, 1807, when he was 72 years old. He was buried in the churchyard in Beckenham, Kent, where his country home was located. After he died, his collections of old pictures and drawings were sold.

Studying Old Things: Edward King's Works

Edward King wrote many books about old buildings and history. His book Vestiges of Oxford Castle (published in 1796) was about Oxford Castle.

His most important work was called Munimenta Antiqua; or, Observations on ancient Castles. This huge book, published between 1799 and 1806, looked at old castles and how architecture changed in Great Britain. It also discussed changes in laws and customs. Even though some of his ideas in the book weren't always correct, the detailed plans and descriptions of castles were very useful to other historians.

Another writer, Louis Dutens, disagreed with King's ideas about when the arch (a curved structure in buildings) was invented. They had a public debate about it through their writings.

King also wrote articles for Archæologia, a journal about archaeology. He also wrote about a strange event in 1796 when stones were said to have fallen from the sky in Tuscany. He called his thoughts on this Remarks concerning Stones said to have fallen from the clouds.

Edward King's Religious Writings

Edward King also wrote books about religion. In 1780, he published Hymns to the Supreme Being, which were like ancient Eastern songs.

In 1788, he wrote Morsels of Criticism. In this book, he tried to explain parts of the Bible using philosophy. For example, he suggested that John the Baptist was an angel. Other writers, like Richard Gough, criticized his ideas in a magazine called the Gentleman's Magazine.

In 1798, King wrote another pamphlet called Remarks on the Signs of the Times. In this, he tried to show that the second book of Esdras (an old religious text) was real. He got into another argument with Richard Gough about this. Bishop Samuel Horsley also disagreed with King's ideas in a letter he wrote.

Other Books by Edward King

Edward King's first book, published in 1767, was An Essay on the English Constitution and Government. This book was about how the government of England worked.

In 1785, he suggested an idea for a "Marine School" at sea. This school would be on a ship and would train sailors. He wrote an open letter about this idea to John Frere.

He also wrote about money matters, like the national debt, in his 1793 book Considerations on the Utility of the National Debt.

Edward King's Family Life

As a lawyer, Edward King once defended a woman in a legal case. Later, he married her.