The Ancient Library

Ancient Library at St Edmundsbury Cathedral

The Ancient Library was founded by Dr Miles Mosse in 1595 as a resource for clergy training. There are over 550 books, mainly printed in the 16th and 17th centuries. The library, in a room over the north-west porch designed by Stephen Dykes Bower in 1960, has bookcases made by Leonard Goff in 2004.

ANCIENT LIBRARY TOURS

 

You can tour the Library and hear all about the history of our incredible book collection from our experts. They must be pre-booked by email with our Visitor Experience Manager. Please allow one week’s notice for booking.

More information on our collection:

 

  • A list of the books in the historic collection in the Library can be found here
  • A list of the reference books in the Library can be found here
  • A list of donors and signatures found in the books can be found here
  • A list of subscribers in Robert Catchpole’s A choice collection of church music can be found here
  • A list of Ronald Blythe’s collection of theological books can be found here.
Current Treasury Exhibition: ‘Celebrating 20 Years of the Millennium Tower’

 

Our current Treasury Exhibition shares artefacts from the Millennium Tower project which was completed 20 years ago. Items include a trowel used by His Majesty King Charles who was patron of the project, as well as commemorative items.

 

The Treasury is open:

 

Monday – Saturday

10.00 am – 4.00 pm

Sunday

12.30 pm – 3.00 pm

 

The copy of the Bury Cross can also be found in the Treasury. The original is at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Current Online Exhibition: An Investigation: Jean Gerson’s Opera – Paris, 1521

 

Jean Gerson (1363-1429) was Chancellor of the University of Paris from 1395. His theological works include sermons, twelve treatises on the Magnificat, a commentary on the Song of Songs and a guide to contemplation.

 

This investigation looks at the printing, structure, illustrations and use of the 1521 Paris edition of Gerson’s Opera.

Other Online Exhibitions

Conservation of Peter Baro’s In prophetam praelectiones (London,1579):

 

We were fortunate to receive a grant towards conserving this volume from the Cathedral Archives, Library and Collections Association. A report is in the Summer Newsletter 2022 on pages 13 & 14.

Ancient Library Articles

More information about the editions held can be found by:

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