To climb a medieval spiral staircase to work, and to a sit at a desk which looks out through mullioned windows onto a cloister herb garden, are tremendous privileges. As a medieval historian with a particular passion for all things ecclesiastical, I couldn’t have asked for a better place to work than Worcester Cathedral Library. Despite its lofty position, its dark book-lined walls, and its timeless air of scholarly indolence, the library is no ivory tower. The roof-space above the south nave aisle is home to our librarian and archivist, David, a graduate trainee (me!) and a whole host of volunteers who help us with cataloguing and indexing, answering enquiries from family historians and scholars and retrieving information for the archaeologist, stonemasons, bell-ringers and clergy. Its role as a modern archive is just as important as its guardianship of medieval manuscripts.
The aim of this blog is to provide a personal and hopefully entertaining insight into the library, its people and its collections during my time here. Features will include brief articles and comments, ‘Book (or object) of the Week’, and introductions to some of the characters of the library, past and present. So please come back regularly to check for new posts! You can also find out more about the library and its blogger by clicking on the tabs above. Thank you for reading.
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