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All the United Kingdom England Newcastle upon Tyne Lit & Phil

Lit & Phil

This gorgeous space is England's largest independent library outside of London.

Newcastle upon Tyne, England

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Kerry Wolfe
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England’s largest independent library outside London.   Michael D Beckwith/Public Domain
England’s largest independent library outside London.   Michael D Beckwith/Public Domain
The Sir James Knott room inside the Lit & Phil.   Grant Barclay/CC BY 2.0
A spiral staircase hides in a corner.   Ardfern/CC BY-SA 3.0
The upper level.   Grant Barclay/CC BY 2.0
The building dates to between 1822 and 1825.   Andrew Curtis/CC BY-SA 2.0
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Entrance to the lit and phil   Sarah Farrow / Atlas Obscura User
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Books awaiting re-binding are marked with white tape   Sarah Farrow / Atlas Obscura User
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Hadrian’s Wall   SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
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About

England’s largest independent library outside of London is a beautiful, brilliant space. Light floods into the airy, spacious main reading room from domed overhead skylights. A wondrous wall of books wraps around the perimeter, covering both levels in a vast display of tempting titles. You won’t find any stodginess or stuffiness here, from neither the decor nor the people who run the library.

The Literary and Philosophical Society of Newcastle upon Tyne (better known as the Lit & Phil) welcomes curious members of the public to pop inside and peruse its collection of more than 160,000 books. It’s a true repository of knowledge, one where inquisitive individuals are encouraged to dive into its diverse reading materials or attend one of its many events.

The Lit & Phil has always been committed to cultivating intellectual exploration. It was originally founded in 1793 as a gentleman’s “conversation club.” At first, the society focused on arranging and hosting lectures, experiments, and discussions. But it was only a matter of time before the library came along.

In 1825, the library relocated to its current space, an impressive Greek Revival-style building. Since then, its stately halls have welcomed an assortment of bright thinkers. During a talk by Joseph Swan in 1880, its lecture theater was the first public room to be lit via an electric light.

Now, nearly two centuries later, people are still feeding their minds within halls of the Lit & Phil. The library continues to grow its collection, adding about 1,000 new volumes each year.

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Libraries Repositories Of Knowledge Books

Know Before You Go

Full public access to the library is available during normal opening hours, which can be found on the website. An external stairlift is available.

The library offers free guided tours on the first Saturday and third Wednesday of each month, which can be booked in advance. The library allows you to borrow any of the books for an annual membership fee and relies upon donations from the public to maintain its collection. A book-binding group associated with the library is responsible for restoring the historic works. The library closes at 1 pm on Saturdays and is closed on Sundays.

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Kerry Wolfe

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CorpseLady84, Sarah Farrow, jooniur, SEANETTA...

  • CorpseLady84
  • Sarah Farrow
  • jooniur
  • SEANETTA
  • rbenn250
  • toryface

Published

January 15, 2018

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  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literary_and_Philosophical_Society_of_Newcastle_upon_Tyne
  • https://www.newcastlegateshead.com/things-to-do/the-literary-and-philosophical-society-p570461
  • http://www.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/newcastle-historical-account/pp461-486
Lit & Phil
23 Westgate Rd
Newcastle upon Tyne, England
United Kingdom
54.969432, -1.613873
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