About the Collections
About our Collections
Our Collections department take care of our archives, library and objects – each collection featuring some remarkable historical artefacts.
We look after a large group of archives, library and objects that together tell the story of our spiritual, architectural, artistic and social heritage.
Archives
Our Archives date from 1099AD to the present day, and include:
- minutes of the Dean and Chapter
- estate papers
- financial records
- records related to services and events
- rolls of honour and memorial books
- architectural drawings (including the Wren Office drawings and the drawings of F C Penrose)
- photographs
- personal papers of Cathedral clergy.
The Archives are stored at two locations: onsite at the Cathedral and at the London Metropolitan Archives. Please see our Accessing our Collections page for more details of how to access the Cathedral Archives.
Library
Designed by Sir Christopher Wren in 1708, our Library houses over 13,000 volumes of printed books and manuscripts dating from the 12th century to the present day. Building on intellectual foundations of 17th and 18th century theology, the Library also includes materials on the history of the City of London and its churches, the life and architecture of Sir Christopher Wren, and works by and about people who have worked in the Cathedral. It also contains extensive materials relating to the history of St Paul’s Cathedral such as early modern sermons, liturgical music, and historic guide books and surveys.
Notable treasures include:
- St Paul’s Psalter (1175)
- Henry VII Indenture (1504)
- William Tyndale’s New Testament (1526)
- William Dugdale’s History of St Paul’s (1658)
- Music partbooks for use in services (18th & 19th centuries).
The Library closed for major conservation treatment in 2019 and re-opened in August 2023.
Objects
Our hugely rich and varied collection of Objects reflect the life and work of the Cathedral, and includes:
- medieval stonework from Old St Paul’s
- architectural models including Wren’s Great Model of 1674
- exquisite wood carvings by Grinling Gibbons
- monuments to Lord Nelson and the Duke of Wellington
- artworks such as William Holman Hunt’s The Light of the World
- textiles including the Jubilee Cope
More on our Collections
Book your tickets
On our booking page, you'll find information about our various sightseeing tickets, including what discounts are available for families, groups, concessions and more.