St. Paul's Cathedral Library

Today we went to the library at St. Paul's Cathedral! 

A highlight of the London skyline, St. Paul's Cathedral was famously built by Sir. Christopher Wren from 1675-1710. This is the fifth cathedral on the site; the first was built in 607 and the fourth, started by the Normans in 1087 and not completed until 1300, burnt down in the Great Fire of 1666. Within the cathedral, the library is at the triforium level behind the south-west tower. The library chamber was designed by Wren himself and completed in 1709. Though the library existed from at least 1313 onward, the library's collections were almost completely destroyed by the Great Fire, with only twenty printed books and three manuscripts surviving. Following this loss, the library was rebuilt, primarily through donations.  

We were fortunate to see the library during our visit, as it about to undergo a serious conservation project. As it is located with a 300-year-old building, the library faces understandable issues maintaining appropriate environmental conditions for its equally old collection. Beginning on July 2, 2018, the library will be closed for eighteen months. During this time, environmental conditions, including the walls, floor, and air circulation, will be updated. In addition, reader facilities will be enhanced and display space will be enlarged. The project has been largely funded through fundraisers, and it is wonderful to know that work has begun to preserve this beautiful space.

The hallway outside the library houses a catalogued collection of stones recovered from the medieval cathedral

For more information about St. Paul's Cathedral library, see the full website at https://www.stpauls.co.uk/history-collections/the-collections/the-library