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All the United Kingdom England Wimborne Minster Wimborne Minster Chained Library

Wimborne Minster Chained Library

The second largest surviving chained library is housed in this 12th century church.

Wimborne Minster, England

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Allison Meier
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The chained library at Wimborne Minister   Shaun Dunphy/Flickr
The chained library at Wimborne Minister   Shaun Dunphy/Flickr
Wimborne Minister   russavia/Wikimedia
The nave of Wimborne Minister   Jack Pease/Flickr
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Up a 600-year-old staircase in Wimborne Minister church is one of the rare surviving chained libraries, a relic of the Middle Ages when books were so valuable they were kept in restraints. 

Most of the Wimborne Minister's architecture dates to the 12th century, and includes a 14th century astronomical clock. The chained library dates to 1686, and is one of the first public libraries in England. However, when it opened the public wasn't quite trusted with those valuable books, and thus they were put in chains attached to the shelves to keep from being stolen. 

Now about 150 of the library's books, all housed in a small stone room, remain in chains. The oldest is from 1343, a text on how to evade spiritual pitfalls, and the tomes in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew are handwritten on lambskin.

Related Tags

Chained Libraries Libraries Medieval

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Added By

Allison

Edited By

hrnick

  • hrnick

Published

April 22, 2014

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  • http://www.visit-dorset.com/things-to-do/attractions/the-minster-church-of-st-cuthburga-p130523
Wimborne Minster Chained Library
High Street
Wimborne Minster, England, BH21
United Kingdom
50.798992, -1.98801
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Nearby Places

Wimborne Minster Model Town

Wimborne Minster, England

miles away

Lady Wimborne Bridge

Oakley, England

miles away

Alfred Russel Wallace's Grave

Broadstone, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Wimborne Minster

Wimborne Minster

England

Places 2

Nearby Places

Wimborne Minster Model Town

Wimborne Minster, England

miles away

Lady Wimborne Bridge

Oakley, England

miles away

Alfred Russel Wallace's Grave

Broadstone, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Wimborne Minster

Wimborne Minster

England

Places 2

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Reading in Restraint: The Last Chained Libraries

libraries

By Allison Meier

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