Carlisle Cathedral Library

About the Library:
Carlisle Cathedral has a fine collection of early printed books dating from the late fifteenth Century. Although Carlisle Cathedral’s medieval library collection did not survive the destruction of the Commonwealth period in the 1650’s, the cathedral’s library was re-founded in 1691.

About the Collection:
In 1691 the donation of the library of Canon Henry Hutton by Canon Arthur Savage re-founded the Library. Bishop Thomas Smith, gave a second collection in 1702. Smaller collections such as those of Joseph Nicholson and Tullie Joseph Cornthwaite were added through the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Subjects covered are mainly theology but also classical authors of Greek and Latin antiquity, geography, history, law, philology, philosophy and science.

How to find books in the Library:
Click here to search the English Short Title Catalogue available at the British Library.

This service allows you to search for items held in the Carlisle Cathedral Library published before 1800 (and find other early printed materials).

Items held in the Collection published after 1800 are traceable by contacting the Cathedral Librarian.

The reading room:
To access books in the Cathedral Library, please contact the Librarian: