sign in sign up
<<
Home , Gloucester Abbey, Gloucester Cathedral, Kilpeck

The Monastic Library (1) None of these manuscripts remain in the library today. They were dispersed or destroyed when

Until 1540 the Cathedral was a major English King Henry VIII closed all monasteries and other religious houses (“the Dissolution”, 1536- 2000 (St Peter’s, ) occupied by monks following the order of St Benedict. 41). However, around fifty manuscripts, now held in other libraries, are known to have once

been at Gloucester. In 1066 a small Anglo-Saxon monastery

stood here, but it was only after the Norman 1850 Conquest that became one The oldest of these is a copy of ’s of the most important monasteries in Ecclesiastical History of the English People, . Books were a vital part of monastic made in the second half of the 11th Century. It life and from the twelfth century onwards the was written in Latin and is now in the British monastery’s library grew rapidly. Library. 1550

At this time there was not a separate library Before 1066, some monastic manuscripts were room. Manuscripts (hand written books) were written in Anglo-Saxon. The Cathedral library stored in chests in the south walk of the holds a rare survival from this time in the form 1040 cloister next to the church. The monks of seven manuscript fragments dated about themselves made every new book by copying 1040. The parchment pages were discovered in an existing manuscript. This work took place the 19th century, having been preserved in the in the cloister. bindings of a medieval ’s register. A page from Bede’s Ecclesiastical History (British Library, Royal 13 C V) Surviving Anglo-Saxon page: part of Life of St Swithun () The south walk of the cloister was also The Monastic Library (2) remodelled around this time and includes 22 study booths (carrels). This shows that this Book (Liber) belonging to St Peters Gloucester Surviving manuscripts made at Gloucester area retained its original function for writing By c.1400 a substantial collection must have and reading even though the Abbey’s main 2000 have limited decoration. Lavish decoration and illumination was normally reserved for been built up and it was around this time that collection of manuscripts was presumably now Bibles and service books used in the Church the present library room was built. No early housed in the Library. itself. Library books were practical books for descriptions exist, but the 19th century study and their decoration was not just for restoration did not alter the basic structure. 1850 aesthetic purposes. Coloured capital letters So the room itself is probably still very usually in red (“rubricated”) mark the similar, although with different bookcases (or beginning of chapters, enabling a reader to “book presses”) and furniture. find the place easily.

1550 By 1300 most Benedictine monasteries had acquired a core collection of important theological works such as those by Saint Augustine and Saint Jerome. Their libraries 1040 were now expanding into other areas of study. Manuscripts by classical authors such as Aristotle, and on subjects such as history, Genealogical diagram showing descent of Christ, contained in British Illuminated capital from British Library Harley 2659, once at St Illuminated capital from British Library Harley 2659, once at St law, medicine, and the natural world were Library manuscript Harley 627, given by Richard of Stowa to Gloucester Peter’s Abbey Peter’s Abbey added to the collection. Abbey in the 13th century

The Monastic Archives The archives are records of any sort that were Deed c.1140. Henry de Pomeroy often kept a register for recording made and kept in the normal course of confirms a grant to the Abbey of important administrative and legal matters. business. The Abbey was one of the most land in Selden, Devon Three such registers survive in our archives important institutions in the area, both as an covering the years 1500-38 when Abbots 2000 employer and as a landowner. This gave rise Braunche, Newton and Parker were in office. to many legal, financial, and administrative transactions that required recording and storage.

1850 Sadly, only a small number of records survived the Dissolution but study of those deeds that have survived reveals that the Abbey had both a distinctive style of writing and an efficient The Arms of Abbot Parker system of storage and filing. 1550 from his Register

Today, we have here about 400 deeds dating from the early 12th century to the closure of Deeds were also frequently copied into the Abbey in the mid-16th century. Some books called cartularies, thus creating a 1040 have the original seals still attached. There “back-up” to the originals. We possess two are also deeds from the Abbey at Ca- such cartularies for Gloucester Abbey, made thedral and a few in The National Archives at in 1393 and 1397. There is an older one, dated about 1300, in the National Archives. Illuminated capital showing King Henry II giving the Abbot of Kew. A page from Register C (1500-1514). The second part concerns St Peters, Gloucester, a charter (National Archives C 150/1) a dispute between the Abbey and the City authorities

The Historia Major events include the burial in the Abbey in The second part of the Historia is an 1134 of , Duke of Normandy alphabetically ordered schedule of and eldest son of . He gifts of property to the abbey. Each Many medieval religious houses compiled a history or chronicle had died in Cardiff whilst imprisoned by entry briefly records the donors and 2000 of their own house. These works were primarily a record of his brother Henry I. the details of the land, buildings or benefactors and their gifts but they also recorded the rights that the Abbey received. The

appointment of abbots, building works and important events in page shown on the far left includes the life of the community as well as other local and There is a short account of the burial in 1327 the entry for Kilpeck [“Kylpec”] of Edward II who had been murdered at sometimes national events. Obiit dominus Johannes rex Anglie apud Newerwyke church in which is now 1850 nearby and, also, a record of et apud Wygorniam sepelitur. Cui succedens Henricus best known for its unusual carvings. filius eius et heres adhuc puerulus decimum agens St Peter’s Gloucester the coronation of Henry III in 1216. Henry, annum et coronatur apud Gloucestriam in ecclesia was no exception and aged 9, was crowned in Gloucester because sancti Petri apostoli quinto kalendas Novembris a its chronicle is known the rebellion of barons against his father, King dompno Petro de Roches Wyntoniensi episcopo as the Historia. There John, made it impossible for the event to take auctoritate dompni Gwalonis presbiteri cardinalis tituli 1550 sancti Martini et apostolice sedis legati ipso ibidem are three known place in . At the insistence of the Pope existente cum quibusdam episcopis et multis nobilibus manuscripts, one of he was later re-crowned at Westminster. viris

which is in the Library

here. It was written Gifts to the Abbey including that of Kilpeck Church (end The photograph to the right shows the account in the Historia of His son Henry who had been [named] his heir since he 1040 c. 1400 and must have of 5th line from bottom) Henry III’s coronation. It is written in abbreviated Latin and the was a boy of ten [sic] succeeded him and was crowned at been based on earlier re- expanded text is also given along with a modern translation. The Gloucester in the church of the Apostle on original text begins with the “O” at the end of the first line October 28 by Lord Peter de Roches Bishop of Winchester cords that have not survived. It is the primary source for the by authority of Cardinal Gwalo titular priest of Saint history of the Abbey from its foundation in c. 679 until the time Martin and Legate of the Apostolic See, being present it was written. himself with certain bishops and many noblemen Kilpeck Church, showing carvings The Dissolution Nevertheless, some Gloucester manuscript books did survive such destruction and St Peter’s Abbey was surrendered to King around fifty still exist. In most cases we do Illustration from Foxe’s 2000 Henry VIII’s Commissioners in January not know how this happened, but fifteen owe Book of Martyrs, 1540. Everything then became the their survival to an unlikely saviour. These showing removal of property of the Crown. The monastery’s items from a church were taken by one of the Commissioners, Sir possessions were very considerable. John Prise. A financial survey of 1535, known as

1850 the Valor Ecclesiasticus, shows that Prise worked for the principal architect of the Gloucester had the 13th highest income of fall of the monasteries, Thomas Cromwell, to all English monasteries. whom he was related by marriage. He used his position to build up a personal library of 1550 The books and archives had little or no manuscripts taken from monasteries. Some financial value at the time. There is no of these are now to be found at Hereford contemporary report of what happened at Cathedral and Jesus College, Oxford.

Gloucester but John Bale, writing on the general fate of monastic manuscripts, The few archives that survived (the deeds Thomas Cromwell 1040 described pages being used in lavatories; and registers) were preserved separately, for cleaning candlesticks and boots; sold probably as evidence of title for the Abbey to grocers and soap sellers, and sent in lands that the King then re-distributed,

vast numbers to book-binders overseas. mostly to the new Cathedral and Diocese. Register of Jesus College, Oxford c. 1621: part of a list of Sir John Prise’s

manuscripts held there. (RE.1, shown by permission of the College) Archives After 1541 The in 1617 was , who went on to become Archbishop of Canterbury under Charles I and was executed in 1645 by Parliament during the

Civil War. The Chapter Acts record his instructions (provocative at the time) to The new was created move the communion table back to the east end of the Cathedral where it was 2000 on 3rd September 1541 and the old Abbey to be realigned and railed off. church became the new Cathedral.

We have only two original documents from Portrait of William Laud which hangs 1850 this early period: the Grant of Endowment to in the Cathedral’s the Dean and Chapter, dated 5th September, Laud Room 1541, and the Grant of Arms to the Dean and Chapter, dated 28th March, 1542.

1550 More records survive from the next century

and in increasing numbers thereafter, including a large quantity of estate records Grant of Arms to the Dean and Chapter 1541. Sir Christopher Barker, Garter King of Arms is pictured in the illu- Detailed annual Treasurer’s Accounts which are now on deposit at minated capital survive for 1609 and from 1623 to 1915. 1040 Archives. The first Register of Baptisms, Marriages Amongst the Documents still in the library are the Chapter Act Books which begin and Burials begins in 1662. It has relatively in 1617 and are complete up to the present day. They record formal actions and few entries as these events normally took Act Book, 1617. The bottom entry contains the decisions made by the Dean and Chapter when running the Cathedral. place in a parish church. instruction to move the communion table During the early years many people donated The Cathedral Library’s Early Benefactors books. Their names and gifts were recorded in a Benefactors’ Book which was secured by The Library Benefactors’ Book. The left hand page re- a chain. cords the Act of Parliament

that established the Library 2000 There is no record of a library in the Some of these books were medieval Cathedral until the end of the Civil War, manuscripts, presumably once in monastic when, in 1648, a local gentleman, libraries (though none from Gloucester Thomas Pury, organised the setting up of Abbey). There were also several very early a library in the Chapter House for the 1850 printed books and the library now holds 45 benefit of the citizens of Gloucester. (The works published before 1501 (known as Dean and Chapter had been ejected from “incunabula”). the Cathedral at the start of the war.)

A very special gift was the copy of the Coverdale 1550 The books became the property of the Bible dated 1536. This was the first complete Bible Decoration in a Latin city in 1657 when the Cathedral was published in English. Gloucester’s copy was Bible in the Library’s transferred to the City Corporation by collection. It was donated by the father of Thomas Pury. He had Parliament. At the Restoration of Charles printed in Nuremburg been given it by Oliver Cromwell. The book bears II the Cathedral (now with a new library) 1040 in 1478 the royal arms of James I, suggesting that was returned to the Dean and Chapter. Cromwell himself acquired it from a royal library. The books remained in the Chapter House as the Library room was still being Title page of the Coverdale Bible, 1536 The Book of Common Prayer, probably the first used as the schoolroom. edition (1549). Much damaged and incomplete. The Cathedral Library -Adding to the Collection The Cathedral accounts record a payment of one pound and seven shillings for transporting Selden’s books from Oxford to Gloucester. They are now separately catalogued.

2000 A major addition was made to the library in 1663, when some 200 books were received In 1743 dampness in the Chapter House from the Bodleian Library in Oxford. These caused the whole library collection to be were part of the collection of the lawyer and moved into the main body of the Church. They were kept in the south aisle until 1764, 1850 historian, John Selden, who had died in 1654. Selden had a personal library of over 8000 before being returned to the Chapter House, volumes, which he left to the Bodleian, where which had undergone repair work. they gave their name to the “Selden End”. Fourth folio Shakespeare,

1550 given by Bishop Benson. The Bodleian already held some of these Not all the additional plays books, and one of Selden’s executors, Mathew are in fact by Shakespeare. Hale, a Gloucestershire man, arranged for

duplicates to be donated to Gloucester There were a number of significant donors during the Cathedral. Amongst these are a number of 1040 18th century, many of them clergymen with a Hebrew works that reflect an important area connection to the Cathedral. One of these was Martin of Selden’s interests and scholarship. Benson, 1734-52, who donated a Treasurer’s Accounts showing entry for Fourth Folio (1685) edition of Shakespeare and a transport of John Selden’s books to John Selden Bible with embroidered binding, 1638. It collection of prints and engravings of Ancient Rome. Gloucester in 1663 shows David holding Goliath’s head

The King’s School and the Library In 1686 Wheeler decided that the school needed its own library and devised a novel way of finding the finance. It was the school custom that each boy gave sixpence at Lent to the Master who kept half the sum and used the other half to buy cakes for the boys. Wheeler proposed to donate his share to the purchase of books if the boys would give up their cakes and do the same. The boys agreed and the new library was begun. 2000 The Act establishing the Cathedral in 1541 also set up a new school, which was established in the old monastic library (the room you are now in). Little is known about Local dignitaries and old the early years (although the Library boys donated books and staircases still bear a long succession of 1850 these details were schoolboy graffiti). recorded by Wheeler in a King’s School Benefactors’ In 1684 Maurice Wheeler was appointed as Book, which the library Master of the College School (as it was then 1550 still holds. It lists 161 officially known). He remained in this post books, of which 56 still until 1712, and was also appointed Cathedral survive. These books are librarian in 1709. In 1685 Wheeler began an now catalogued as a Admissions Register for the school and the separate collection in the

1040 same volume continued in use until 1923. It is King’s School Admissions Register, 1685. The Cathedral library. now in the Cathedral Library. The title page calligraphy on the title page is by Maurice Wheeler has one of the earliest uses of the name himself. On the right is the first page of entries, The Library as a schoolroom as engraved by Thomas Bonnor in 1796 “King’s School” (“SCHOLÆ REGIÆ “). recording earlier admissions

The Library from the 19th Century In 1849 the present library room

Library Borrowing Book, was seriously damaged by fire, 1849 necessitating the removal of The 18th century had seen the King’s school to other premises in 2000 addition to the Library of the Cathedral and its grounds. many books on subjects This was the period of the other than theology. This of the trend continued into the 19th Cathedral and it was decided to century In 1826 the library 1850 take the opportunity this offered was much “modernised” by to restore the damaged room and the replacement of the then move the library from the Book damaged in the 1849 fire elaborate, baroque bookcases. Chapter House. It has been in The old bookcases were sold this room ever since and the 1550 for £50 and £268 was spent on repairs and collections have continued to improvements. grow. The Library whilst still in the Chapter House. Engraved by Thomas Bonnor, 1796

The Cathedral accounts show spending, not just on new books, but also on re-binding and on maps, The work was completed by 1857. A new oak floor had been laid; The Library c. 1970 1040 prints and newspapers. Later, it was proposed that the room had been re-roofed using original timbers wherever each new (member of the Chapter) pay a possible; stonework had been repaired and windows glazed; a new subscription of five guineas (£5 and 5 shillings) to the fireplace had been installed; new oak doors made and staircases library, which seems to have been acquiring repaired. The bookcases and books were then transferred from the something of the character of a gentleman’s club. Chapter House.

Music Secondly, the library holds considerable Below and right: Programmes for the Three Choirs Festival in 1850 and in material relating to the Three Choirs Festival, A page from the 2001 The library preserves a one of the world’s oldest choral festivals. It oldest Part Book collection of more than 70 has been held annually in turn at Gloucester, 2000 handwritten part books Hereford and Worcester Cathedrals since at that were used by the least the early 18th century and is associated choristers. The earliest with many great musicians and composers, dates from c.1640 and the most notably Sir . The Library series continues to 1863. 1850 has a complete set of festival programmes These books contain music from the 1870s to date as well as the minutes for organ and the different of the local organising committee and Sir , Cathedral Organist male voices, distinguish- scrapbooks compiled in the early 20th ing between the two sides of the choir (decani and century. cantoris) and would have been used by the choristers in 1550 the daily services held at the Cathedral. The archives also offer a glimpse of John

Stafford Smith (1750-1836) the son of Martin They include music by many famous names such as

Smith Cathedral Organist. He is famous for Handel, but also many pieces by lesser known The entry for John writing the tune that was later adopted for the 1040 composers and organists. In particular there are Stafford Smith in the American national anthem, The Star Spangled compositions by local men such as Joseph Mutlow who Cathedral’s Register Banner. His baptism is recorded in the A page from the Three Choirs was Organist and Choirmaster from 1782 to 1832 and of Baptisms Cathedral register as is his admission to King’s Festival scrapbook was renowned not only for his musical abilities but also school where he was a chorister. for his large physical presence. Twentieth century photographs Prints, Photographs and Architectural Records document some of the repair work to the Cathedral buildings In addition to printed books and documents and, in some cases, the skilled the Library also has a fine collection of craftsmen who carried it out. 2000 prints and drawings showing the Cathedral The images show the everyday and its precincts over the centuries. Some activity that has ensured that are engravings by well-known artists and the Cathedral’s fabric remained

were published at the time, but others are in good order. 1850 by local artists who capture something of Two prints from the Library cathedral life in the period that they Above and below right: Pages from the “chronicle” of works collection and a published worked. compiled by Bernard Ashwell, Cathedral Architect drawings by F.S. Waller (1822- Lantern slide showing the Cathedral 1905), Cathedral Architect c. 1890 The extensive series of architects’ 1550 There is also a photograph collection plans, drawings and correspondence, which has yet to be fully catalogued. preserved as part of the archives, also This includes a collection of late 19th offer a wealth of detailed information century lantern slides which were used about the history of the buildings and by the Cathedral architect. They offer a the changes that have taken place since 1040 unique record of both the interior and the mid-19th century. These records exterior of the Cathedral at a point are still being created today and will Lantern slide showing the Lady when major restoration work was being continue to be a vital resource for Chapel with Gurney stove to provide undertaken. future historians and custodians of the heating, c.1900 Cathedral.