Berwick-upon-Tweed Vicar of St. Mary's James King

James King was a Church of England priest identified in library and publishing records as the Vicar of St. Mary's, Berwick-upon-Tweed. He is best known for Cleopatra's Needle, published in the 1880s, which explores the history of the London obelisk and explains its inscriptions for general readers.

The book shows a writer interested in making scholarship approachable. King connects ancient Egyptian history, religion, and symbolism in a style aimed at readers who wanted both instruction and a sense of wonder.

Little biographical information beyond his clerical role and authorship could be confirmed from the sources consulted here, so his surviving reputation rests mainly on this work and its blend of Victorian religious learning and historical storytelling.