Probably
two places were reserved for books in the cloister. One
case or chest contained the books of the novices, whose
place of study was in that part of the cloister facing the
treasury. The main store was on the north side of the
cloister. "And over against the carrells against the church
wall did stande sertaine great almeries of waynscott all full
of bookes, wherein dyd lye as well the old auncyent written
Doctors of the church as other prophane authors, with
dyverse other holie mens wourks, so that every one dyd
studye what Doctor pleased them best, havinge the librarie
at all tymes to goe studie in besydes there carrells."[2]
Dr. J. W. Clark, the leading authority on early library
fittings, has tried to show, from evidences of a similar
arrangement at Westminster, that this part of the cloister
formed a long room, with glazed windows and carrells on
the one hand, bookcases on the other, and screens at each
end shutting off the library and writing-place from the rest
of the cloister.[3]
[1] Customary of Barnwell (Harl. MS, 3061).
[2] Surtees Soc. xv., Durham Rites, 70-71. The library would be
that built by Wessington in 1446.
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