National Trust - Research project to illuminate the context and significance of a seventeenth century prayer book

National Trust Moseley Old Hall: The Missal, Missale Romanum, pub.1623, signed by Father John Huddelston

Location: Remote working but ideally with some time spent at Moseley to understand the property and gain familiarity with the Missal itself.

Timescales:  flexible, during 2025. This placement could be between 1-6 months, and could be part or full-time depending on the student’s preferences.

Context

The National Trust have recently acquired a rare 400 year old prayer book owned by the Benedictine priest who helped hide and save the life of the future King Charles II as he fled Parliamentarian troops in 1651, and who many years later received the dying king into the Catholic Church. This particular book has been well used, with annotations, candle wax drips and even the priest’s own signature found inside – all things that add to the special significance of this book, which has the potential to significantly expand our understanding of how Catholic books were used and circulated at a time when it was dangerous in England for you to be anything other than Anglican.

We would really like a PhD researcher to help us better understand the role of this kind of book, the way it might have been used, its prevalence in 17th century England and so on. The book is now at Moseley Old Hall in Staffordshire.

Research Brief

Aims:

• To better understand the significance of the Missal, its historical, religious and social context as a piece of Continentally-printed Catholic material culture related to two significant historical figures connected to Moseley: Father John Huddleston and Charles II. How does the 1623 Missal relate to other Huddleston relics, particularly the ‘Gillow Missal’ (thought to be) in the collection at Downside Abbey, Somerset.

• To ascertain how Huddleston would have used this Missal during his career, with particular focus on the period of his residence at Moseley and the likelihood of the Missal being present at the death of Charles II – e.g. is the prayer referred to by Huddleston, ‘Recommendation of the Soul’, in the Missal?[1] Would a death-bed service with Charles have been conducted in Latin or English? What Roman Catholic prayer books were being used in England at the time of the King’s death, etc?

• To identify interpretation themes that will help audiences better understand the story around the Missal in meaningful and relevant ways and that highlight potential points of connection between the seventeenth and twenty-first centuries; e.g., experiences of religious persecution, religious intolerance, the personal value of printed texts etc.

• To ensure that we are in a better position to deliver public benefit around the meaning and significance of the Missal and its connections to Moseley in line with the property’s ambitions, which positions the property as a place of sanctuary and refuge against a backdrop of religious intolerance and persecution.

Outputs:

• Written report in electronic and hard copy formats at end of research project

• Regular (monthly?) updates of research findings for use in property newsletters, website, on-site interpretation etc.

Why now? The timing for this research coincides with our aim to redisplay the Missal on the ground floor of Moseley Old Hall in order to make it more accessible for more visitors. Since its acquisition a year ago, the Missal has been temporarily displayed in a first floor room. As part of the redisplay we also want to interpret the Missal and bring it alive for people unfamiliar with this type of book and its religious and social context. The research will feed directly into this and provide greater insight into this historic object.

Further information: Father Huddleston's missal on display | National Trust

To apply: Anyone interested in this placement would be most welcome to get in touch with Dr Nicola Froggatt, Research Manager (nicola.froggatt@nationaltrust.org.uk) to discuss further.

[1] As articulated by Huddleston in A short and plain way to the faith and church / Richard Hudleston (London: Henry Hills, 1688)