The small church in the Gloucestershire village of Whittington in the UK has been part of the backdrop of British wood engraver Miriam Macgregor’s life since she lived, until recently, and still works in the village of Whittington. Miriam is an integral part of the Whittington Press, working with John Randle and providing illustrations for numerous books in addition to creating her own books, most recently Midwinter which chronicles a snowstorm in the village. American engraver, Abigail Rorer, came to know the church and village during her visits with Miriam and the Whittington Press after attending a number of Oxford Fine Press Book Fairs.
The idea of a small illustrated collaborative book on the church was mutually conceived because both artists were drawn to the great age of the church and the beautiful sculptures, architectural details, and centuries of change and decay inherent in such an ancient building. Miriam has engraved the exterior images of the church and Abigail has engraved the interior images. The church abuts Whittington Court and Whittington Press and sits there alone in serene and quiet dignity, seemingly ignored by all the daily comings and goings around it.
The book is 32 pages and measures 7 x 9 inches. The text is set in 14-point Van Dijck with 25 engravings printed on Zerkall mould-made paper. The text and engravings were printed by Patrick Randle at the Whittington Press in an edition of 300 copies with 250 regular copies, 40 deluxe copies and 10 copies in sheets. The binding and patterned papers were designed by Abigail Rorer and executed by the Fine Bindery in Finedon, UK.
250 copies have a quarter cloth spine with paper over boards decorated with an engraved design, in a slipcase. $225
The deluxe edition of St. Bartholomew’s, Whittington: A Cotswold Church: 40 copies of the deluxe edition are bound in Oasis goatskin with a special inlaid leather hinge designed by Abigail Rorer who also designed the patterned endpapers, along with a portfolio of proofs of the engravings, all housed in a solander box. One print has been hand-colored. The binding was done by The Fine Bindery, Finedon, UK. $745
10 copies in sheets. $130
