Chained library founded by Frances Trigge in St Wulfram's Chuch, Grantham, will open to public
An event centred around one of the oldest public libraries in Britain will feature several expert guest speakers.
The chained library in St Wulfram’s Church, Grantham, dates back to 1598. It was founded by Francis Trigge, Rector of Welbourn.
An event on Friday, May 19 will see the library opened to attendees at various points during that day, with guest speakers offering their expertise in-between.
Melanie Brown, operations and development manager at St Wulfram’s, said: “It is one of the oldest public libraries surviving in Britain and it’s a privilege for St Wulfram’s to care for this national treasure.
“This library has added so much to the town’s historic heritage.”
This event has been organised by Dr John Manterfield, historian, author and chair of the fabric group at St Wulfram’s Church.
He will be among the expert speakers at the event, and will talk about Tudor Grantham and the development of parish libraries.
He will also discuss some of the treasures housed in this unique early library.
Dr Manterfield said: “For hundreds of years this was the only library in the town and the only library serving this part of the county. Also, it has provided a resource for scholars and local clergy for all that time.
“It gives you a genuine feel of a library at that time and to know that this library was where Isaac Newton and other scholars studied [is amazing].”
Francis Trigge gave ‘one hundred poundes or thereabouts’ to purchase the books for the library, for which he said the purpose was “the better encreasinge of learnings and knowledge in divinitie & other liberall sciences & learning by such of the cleargie & others as well as beinge inhabitantes in or near Grantham & the soake thereof as in other places in the said Countie”.
The room, which is situated up a narrow spiral staircase in the south porch of the church, was the first public reference library in England.
The library was overseen by the Alderman of Grantham (equivalent to the modern-day mayor), the two vicars of north and south Grantham, as well as the master of the Edward VI Grammar School, now known as King’s School.
The room was previously used as living quarters by one of the vicars, and contains a fireplace and a lavabo, used for washing.
The books were, and still are, secured with chains hand-forged in Grantham.
Dr Manterfield explained that, at the time, “books were valuable, so the chains were there to make sure they didn’t go astray”.
A book was taken on to the shelf, still chained, and the shelf was moved by the reader.
Most of the library’s collection was printed in the 16th century, with 10 printed before 1501. There are bibles, law books, medical books and histories.
A copy of Pierre d’Ailly’s Imago Mundi from the 15th century contains a map of the world, as known to the creator at the time, which was used by explorer Christopher Columbus.
There is also a copy of Historia Animalium, by Conrad Gesner. The text, although containing some mythical creatures, was one of the first pieces of modern zoological work. It also contains a number of animal illustrations.
Another guest speaker at the event will be Dr Dirk Imhof, who was formally curator of books and archives at the Plantin-Moretus Museum in Antwerp, where Christopher Plantin printed the Biblia Regia.
The Trigge Library holds three volumes of this bible, printed in five languages. As Dr Imhof lives in Massachusetts, in the USA, his presentation will be recorded for this symposium.
Dr Manterfield explained that this was his favourite text in the collection.
He added: “Last year, we had visitors from 30 different countries. People who know about books, know about this library.”
Tickets for the event are £32 per person, and the event will run from 10am until 4.30pm and includes lunch and refreshments.
Other guest speakers on the day include Dr Jessica Purdy, associate lecturer in Early Modern History at the University of St Andrews, and Dr Brian Stagg, Custos of the Francis Trigge Library at St Wulfram’s.
Bridget Warrington, an experienced, accredited book and manuscript conservator, will also be in attendance. She is working on the conservation of a volume of Gesner’s Historia Animalium.
For more information www.stwulframs.org or email ghcentre@stwulftrams.com
The library will be open to the public after Easter on Wednesdays and Fridays between 10am and noon.
