A rare misprinted bible printed by John Baskett of Oxford in 1717, also known as the Vinegar Bible, was conserved by Lara Meredith in 2015 in advance of its exhibition in the Cathedral Crypt.

The Vinegar Bible is named due to a misprint found in the running head-line of Luke xxii, that mentions the ‘Parable of the vinegar’ instead of ‘Parable of the vineyard’. It is also commonly referred to as the ‘Baskett-full of errors.

This particular copy was presented to James Levett by the Dean & Chapter. Although it originally belonged from new to the Cathedral, it was given as a leaving present to James Levett, who was the Head Verger at the Cathedral. It was then passed to the Mills family, possibly given in appreciation and in leieu of payment, for work undertaken by Mr Mills for various friends.

Lara Meredith speaking in 2015 of her conservation work on The Vinegar Bible from the Chapter Library of Rochester Cathedral.

There were two variant editions of this version of the Bible, A and B. This particular copy is Variant A, although it lacks the engraved title page vignette signed by M. V. Gucht. The Chapter Library is actually home to three Baskett bibles, two similiar copies and one entirely unillustrated.

Though perhaps not his best work, John Baskett was the King's Printer for England. He, his sons Thomas and Robert, and grandson by the latter, Mark held the monopology on English printing during much of the 18th century. The volume is however perhaps most exceptional due to its illustrations by Louis Cheron (Paris, 1655 - London, 1725). Cheron's prints for John Baskett's Bible (1717) were among his most important and beautiful works as an illustrator, and reproductions of these prints are very hard to find.