Manuscript heaven

Lambeth Palace is where the Archbishop of Canterbury lives when he’s in London. The Archbishops have lived there for hundreds of years – and many of them have been scholars and book-collectors. Not surprising then that the Palace is putting on an exhibition of  books from the Archbishop’s library, including many rare manuscripts.

The great gateway of Lambeth Palace

There’s the twelfth century Lambeth Bible, for instance, a superb illuminated manuscript that Thomas Becket may have used. It’s one of the masterpieces of Romanesque art. But you can also see the style that preceded the Romanesque in the MacDurnan Gospels, written in Ireland in the 9th century, with its Celtic knotwork and almost abstract figures.

There are historical documents, such as the death warrant for Mary Queen of Scots, and a letter from George III’s physician which tells of the first signs of ‘the madness of King George’.  And there are a few curiosities besides the books; like the embroidered gloves that Charles I wore at his execution, and the shell of Archbishop Laud’s pet tortoise. Laud was executed for treason – the tortoise outlived him by more than a century.

It’s an intriguing exhibition if you’re a bibliophile, or have an interest in medieval manuscripts. But for many people, I suspect the main reason for going will be the fact that the ticket lets you into the Great Hall of the palace, which is otherwise closed to the public. (The Great Hall, with its superb hammerbeam roof, looks medieval – in fact it’s not; it was rebuilt by Archbishop Juxon after the Civil War, and he decided to use the Gothic style as an affirmation of continuity with the past.)

Where: Lambeth Palace [map]

When: till 23 July, 1000-1700 Monday to Saturday

How much: £8 (£7 concessions)

Photo by Steve Cadman on flickr