The Silent Isle

Arthur Christopher Benson, FRSL was born on the 24th April 1862 at Wellington College, Berkshire. His father would later become the Archbishop of Canterbury. His brother was the noted E F Benson of ‘Mapp & Lucia’ literary fame.

The family was blighted by the early death of two children. Benson himself suffered with bi-polar disorder. None of the surviving children married.

In 1874 he went to Eton and thence on to King's College, Cambridge and achieved first-class honours in the Classical tripos in 1884.

From 1885 to 1903 Benson taught at Eton, but returned, as a Fellow of Magdalene College, to Cambridge in 1904 to lecture in English Literature. He became president of the college in 1912, and the Master from December 1915 until his death in 1925.

As a writer Benson was prolific across a number of genres. His essays and literary criticisms were much admired. His short story collections, mainly supernatural and ghost stories, along with several volumes of poetry were distinctive and of note.

As well he wrote lyrics for the ‘Coronation Ode’, which includes the rousing ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ set to music by Edward Elgar for the 1902 coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.

A Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, he founded the Benson Medal in 1916 ‘in respect of meritorious works in poetry, fiction, history and belles lettres’.

A C Benson died at the Master's Lodge at Magdalene on the 17th June 1925. He was 63.