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'A remarkable time capsule': The enchanting history of Oxford ...
(Image credit: Courtesy of the Warden and Fellows of Merton College Oxford)Predating the Aztec Empire, Merton College Library in Oxford has been used by everyone from celebrated 14th-Century mathematicians to JRR Tolkien. In an exclusive interview with the BBC for its 750th birthday, its librarian describes what makes it so special.AAt Merton College in Oxford, there is an antique chest. In the Middle Ages, three key-holders had to be summoned to reveal the riches within. But this treasure wasn't gold or jewels. It was books. Such strict security may sound overly cautious for mere parchment. But in an era before the printing press, books were a valuable commodity. They could take months to produce, as the entire text had to be painstakingly written out by hand. So, just as universities solicit cash from their alumni today, Merton College insisted its 13th-Century fellows donated books.There's no single definition of a library – Prof Teresa WebberThe Archbishop of Canterbury issued a decree in 1276 introducing this requirement, which marked the beginning of the library at Merton College. It has been running continuously ever since. To put that length of time in context, Merton's library predates the Aztec Empire. Its unbroken history stretches from before the Black Death to beyond the Covid-19 pandemic. And its users have encompassed everyone from famous 14th-Century mathematicians to Lord of the Rings author JRR Tolkien. This month marks the library's 750th anniversary. It's a major milestone. But Merton's extraordinary lifespan has been recognised since the Victoria era, when it was routinely described as the oldest library in England. In the 20th Century, writers like Rudyard Kipling and John Buchan referenced it in works of historical fiction, bolstering its reputation as a particularly venerable library. As the cultural recognition of "the famous Merton Library" grew, claims about its longevity became exaggerated. Some overzealous Oxonians even declared it the oldest library in the world. The origins of the historic libraryHistorians today are more careful about making such bold declarations. "It's a complicated question," says Prof Teresa Webber from the University of Cambridge. "There's no single definition of a library. And there were all sorts of stages in the development of what we think of today as a library."Dr Julia Walworth is Merton College's librarian (Credit: Courtesy of the Warden and Fellows of Merton College Oxford)The origins of the lib...
A stroll through the "remarkable time capsule" of Oxford University's ...
Main Discussion Sports Business STEM Entertainment Fandom D'awww Food Politics A stroll through the "remarkable time capsule" of Oxford University's 750-year-old medieval library (bbc.com) 10 More: Cool, Middle Ages, England, History, BBC, University of Cambridge, Victorian era, Archbishop of Canterbury, Printing press • • • 1092 clicks; posted to Main » and STEM » on 24 Apr 2026 at 11:55 AM (13 hours ago) | share: Copy Link Log in (at the top of the page) to enable voting. Rent Party Smartest(2) Funniest(0) GAF (0) ‘’ 13 hours ago Dr. Julia Walworth has maybe the coolest job on the planet. Tillmaster Smartest(3) Funniest(4) GAF (0) ‘’ 12 hours ago Oook! Don Cherry's tailor Smartest(3) Funniest(0) GAF (0) ‘’ 12 hours ago I like it when Dr. Lucy Worsley gets to look at all that old timey stuff. Oto Ozul Smartest(3) Funniest(0) GAF (0) ‘’ 12 hours ago if you have a book you must be happy The Third Man Smartest(7) Funniest(0) GAF (0) ‘’ 12 hours ago This is just one of the many college libraries at Oxford...it's Merton College Library. This was the college library I studied in at Jesus College:...and this is the Duke Humfrey Library at the Bodleian. Miss that place./so yeah, there are about 20 medieval libraries at Oxford raerae1980 Smartest(5) Funniest(0) GAF (0) ‘’ 12 hours ago *drools* WhiskeyTeat Smartest(3) Funniest(0) GAF (0) ‘’ 12 hours ago Toured the library at the University of Coimbra in Portugal, and it was Harry-effing-Potter gorgeous. Annoyingly, no photos were allowed inside. The university was founded in 1290, but it moved around a lot during its first couple centuries because of regional political machinations. So the library wasn't continuously used until 1537. Don Cherry's tailor Smartest(2) Funniest(0) GAF (0) ‘’ 12 hours ago Fear the Clam Smartest(1) Funniest(0) GAF (0) ‘’ 12 hours ago The only thing cooler than chained books are book curses. Or poison books.Mrs Clam has this: iron de havilland Smartest(0) Funniest(1) GAF (0) ‘’ 11 hours ago Displayed 10 of 10 comments Log in (at the top of the page) to enable voting. If you're having problems voting, quoting, or posting comments, try disabling any browser add-ons that might disable Javascript (NoScript, AdBlock, etc). See our FAQ. Login: Password: Forgot password? Create an account to make comments Remember me Comment: Before adding a comment, please take a minute to review our posting rules and our legal/p...
Home - History - Oxford LibGuides at Oxford University
This guide is intended for students and researchers studying History at the University of Oxford, although students and researchers from any field may find it useful. Use this guide to find out about books and online resources for History, including ebooks, ejournals and bibliographic databases.
History collections on open-shelves in the Old ... - University of Oxford
The Duke Humfrey's Library has open shelf collections for: medieval sources (R.1) ecclesiastical sources (R.2) local historical society publications: England (R.Top) Victoria County Histories of England (R.Top) local historical society publications: Wales, Scotland and Ireland (R.Top) history of Oxford and Cambridge Universities (R.Top) PRO List & Indexes (L&I); List & Index Society ...
