English: Cyril Taylor was born in 1907 in Wigan, Lancashire. He died in Petersfield, Hampshire in 1991.
He was educated in Magdalen College School and went on to Christ Church College, Oxford. (MA). He was ordained (CofE) in 1931 and became Curate at Hinckley and Kingswood, Bristol, then Precentor of Bristol Cathedral, then Asst to Head of Religious Broadcasting at BBC, London 1939–53, and Warden of RSCM 1953–58. Incumbent of 5 Dorset villages, then Precentor of Salisbury Cathedral from 1969 to retirement in Petersfield 1975. He co-edited The BBC Hymn Book 1951, to which he contributed 19 tunes, and worked on supplements to Hymns A&M, 1969 and 1980, during which he coined the phrase ‘pastoral editing’, and the New Standard edition of 1983. He was a keen advocate of the hymns of Albert Bayly. Chairman of Hymn Society 1975–80; member of the Church of England’s Liturgical Commission for 12 years.
This memorial stone includes the opening bars of ABBOT’S LEIGH, his most famous tune.