Little is known of the
early history of Hereford's cathedral library. An ancient
copy of the Gospels, said to have been bequeathed by the
last Saxon bishop, Athelstan (1012), is one of the earliest
gifts. In 1186 Bishop Robert Folliott gave "multa bona
in ferris et libris." Bishop Hugh Folliott also left ornaments
and books. Another bishop, R. de Maidstone, although "vir
magnae literaturae, et in theologia nominatissimus," only
seems to have given the church two antiphonaries, some
psalters, and a Legenda. Bishop Charleton (1369) left a Bible,
a concordance, a glossary, Nicholas de Lyra, and five Books
of Moses, all to be chained in the cathedral. Very shortly
afterwards we hear of fittings, for in 1395 Walter of
Ramsbury gave L 10 for making the desks. Probably a
book-room, which was over the west cloister, was then put
up. A long interval elapsed, during which little seems to
have been done for the library. But between c. 1516-35
Bishop Booth and Dean Frowcester left many fine volumes.
In 1589 the book-room was abandoned and the contents
shifted to the Lady Chapel.
A new library was built in 1897. Herein are to be
seen what are almost certainly the original bookcases, albeit
they have been taken to pieces and somewhat altered before
being fitted together again.
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