Medieval Manuscripts

Our manuscript collections are a witness to the cultural and educational life of Liverpool from the late nineteenth century onwards. They reflect the tastes and aspirations of the city's wealthy benefactors, and the generosity of the families wishing to commemorate their lives.

The University owns 50 medieval and renaissance manuscripts in total. Almost half of the collection was bequeathed by Thomas Glazebrook Rylands (1818-1900). The exhibition 'Books as Tools: Thomas Rylands' Scientific Incunabula' explores his interests as reflected in his early printed books.

A further eight manuscripts were given by Charles Sydney Jones (1872-1947) alongside his benefactions to the former Education Library, and four by R. G. Morton (1880-1973) in 1969.

For more information on all our manuscripts, please see our Guide to Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts. They are also fully described in N.R. Ker's catalogue of Medieval Manuscripts in British Libraries.