Library and Archives at Winchester Cathedral

A wide variety of printed and handwritten material, ranging from the medieval to the modern period.

Libraries

The library collections of Winchester Cathedral are comprised of a wide variety of printed and handwritten material, ranging from the medieval to the modern period. They include approximately 40 manuscripts and 17 incunables (books printed prior to 1501), as well as more than 3000 books printed before 1850, and a sizeable modern post-1850 reference library of circa 2000 books.

Central to the collection are the 2000 books which form the basis of our seventeenth-century Morley Library, which visitors to the Cathedral are still able to view today. Bequeathed by George Morley, Bishop of Winchester (1598? -1684), the Library contains texts on a diverse range of subjects, including theology, history, geography, natural science, politics and literature. For research enquiries, please contact: curator.enquiries@winchester-cathedral.org.uk.