The Vicar of Essex: part 2

One of the 19th Century's most prolific authors, the Reverend Sabine Baring-Gould, lived for around 10 years as the rector on the Essex island of Mersea island, which lies off the coast near Colchester. It was the flat Essex salt marshland that he used as the backdrop to one of his dark, brooding, romantic novels Mehalah. The story of a young woman who is strong willed and fiery but becomes the victim of her spurning the unwanted advances of a sullen, coarse, landowner.

Though the Reverend Baring-Gould did not apparently like his life on Mersea Island, nor was he particularly fond of the inhabitants of the island, apparently a number of the characters in Mehalah are actually based on real residents of Mersea that he knew.

The novel itself is classified as a Gothic Victorian melodrama.

Baring-Gould was known for writing the lyrics of the Hymn "Onwards, Christian Soldiers" and was also famous for a wide range of works.

He wrote books on local interest; folklore; Icelandic stories, sagas; the book of were-wolves; curious myths of the Middle Ages. In total, is is estimated that he wrote over 1200 publications, and sometimes a publication arises that is then attributed to Baring-Gould.

He was also a keen collector of folk songs.

Amazingly not only was Baring-Gould a prolific author, and had a full time job as a rector, he also managed to father 15 children.

Those long, winter nights on Mersea Island no doubt contributing somewhat to the growth of his family.