Charles lapworth was born in 1842 at Faringdon, in Berkshire. Five years afterwards his parents removed to Lower Newton, one of the farms rented by his grandfather. He attended the country school at Buckland village, about two miles off, and the vicar of the parish, the Rev. Joseph Moore, finding him an omnivorous reader, generously lent him books from his own library and practically directed his early education. At the age of 15 he became a pupil teacher in the school, and in the year 1862 entered the Training College at Culham, near Oxford, passing out thence in 1864 with a first-class Government certificate. Of the posts as schoolmaster which were then offered him he selected that connected with the Episcopal Church at Galashiels, because it would give him a home and work in the fascinating borderland of Sir Walter Scott. This post he retained for eleven years, and was married in 1869 to the daughter of Mr. Walter Sanderson.