The Library

The Cathedral Library is currently undergoing a landmark Conservation Project to enhance environmental conditions for the books, conserve the fabric of the room and provide enhanced reader facilities. It will also enable us to display more of the collections.

The Library is now closed until summer 2020 and it will not be available for readers or tours. However, an enquiry service is still available: please contact the Librarian, Jo Wisdom, using the contact details below. 

To find out more about the Library Conservation Project click here

The library of Dean and Chapter is situated at triforium level behind the south-west tower in a chamber designed for it by Wren.

The library's collection was almost completely destroyed in the Great Fire of London. Lists surviving from 1313 onwards give a picture of the pre-fire library. Wren's library chamber was restocked by the Commissioners for rebuilding St Paul's: they bought collections, including valuable Bibles and liturgical texts, and were fortunate to receive a generous bequest in 1712 of nearly two thousand volumes from the library of Henry Compton, late Bishop of London.

In 1783 the library of John Mangey, Vicar of Dunmow and Prebendary of St Paul's, was added. In the nineteenth century large collections of ecclesiastical tracts and pamphlets were brought in and improvements made to the library's holdings of sermons preached in the Cathedral and at Paul's Cross.

The subject strength of the historical collections lies in theology, church history and patristics. Current acquisitions are restricted to major works on the history of the Church in England, on Wren and the building of the Cathedral, the Church in the City, and 'alumni' material. 

 

Joseph Wisdom, Librarian	jwisdom@stpaulscathedral.org.uk ​020 7246 8342	Follow the Collections
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