This volume serves as a commemorative record and functional musical resource marking the one-hundredth anniversary of the publication of the English Hymnal. The text provides a historical context for the collection's enduring influence on liturgical music, featuring a new preface by the Reverend Martin Draper that outlines the significance of the work within the English Hymnal Company's history. It functions as both a practical tool for worship and a collector's item for those interested in the evolution of ecclesiastical music.

Experts and liturgical scholars recognize this edition as a definitive reference for traditional Anglican musical practice. Readers frequently note the high production quality of this centenary volume, which is valued primarily for its archival significance and completeness.