Salisbury Cathedral

Last updated 9th November 2019
Name of library  Salisbury Cathedral Library
Address  Salisbury Cathedral, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP1 2EF
Telephone 01722 555107
Fax  
E-mail library@salcath.co.uk
Website www.salisburycathedral.co.uk
Alternative names  
Contact & Job Title Emily Naish, Cathedral Archivist
Purpose & main user community of the library  
Terms of access By appointment in advance
Opening hours 9.30-12.30, 2.00-4.30
Disabled access Access to the Library is via a 37 step spiral staircase.  Alternative arrangements to consult specific books for researchers requiring level access can be made.
Lending to other libraries & visitors  No
Number of volumes c10,000
Periodicals – Back Issues
Current Periodicals
Other materials
Volumes added per year Usually less than 15
Coverage An eclectic mix resulting from the interests of those who donated and bequeathed volumes to the library.  Particularly significant is a bequest of c1000 texts (protestant reformation literature) by Bishop Edmund Geste in 1577 and a bequest of c300 texts (medicine, science, astronomy) by Bishop Seth Ward in 1689.  The Gillingham parochial library is held on deposit.   
Special Collections  
Manuscripts Collection of c200 manuscripts dating from 9th to 15th centuries including c60 manuscripts written at the Cathedral previous site now known as Old Sarum.
Research resource
Catalogue Type An electronic catalogue is in the process of being created and is accessible via the Salisbury Cathedral main website.  The majority of the books which have not yet been added to the electronic catalogue have been catalogue on the card catalogue and/or in a catalogue printed in 1880 Catalogue of the Cathedral Library of Salisbury.
URL of catalogue https://collections.salisburycathedral.org.uk/home
Other facilities  
Full Time Staff 1
Part Time Staff 1
Voluntary Staff 20
Changes in next five years affecting the above  
Anything else about the library Visitors with a general interest in the library and its holdings can book a place on the ‘Library Tour and Tea’.  Other events concerning the library and archive collections are held regularly – further details available on the Salisbury Cathedral website.