Canterbury Cathedral Archives and Library

We are partnered with the Cathedral Archives and Library who hold a fantastic and varied collection of historic records, including manuscripts, photographs, maps and printed books dating from the late 8th century up to the modern day. These cover a range of themes including national and local history, politics, travel, natural science, medicine, church history, and theology.

You can explore these holdings using the Cathedral Archives catalogue or explore the Cathedral Library’s holdings through LibrarySearch.

To find out more, you can visit their website.!

Some highlights of the collections for Medieval and Early Modern students are:

  • Medieval archive of the Cathedral – The pre-Reformation archive of the Cathedral has been added to the UNESCO UK Memory of the World Register, recognised as one of the most important collections of its type. These date from the 9th century onwards, and includes the charters, registers, financial and administrative records, estate records and court records kept by the medieval Cathedral.
  • Medieval archive of the City of Canterbury – The records of the City of Canterbury date from c.1155 up to present day, and are a rich resource for the study of all areas covered by the current boundaries of Canterbury District, including the coastal towns of Whitstable and Herne Bay. Highlights include royal charters such as that of Henry II (our earliest surviving city charter), and records of the city court and jail.
  • Records of local individuals, families, and institutions – MEMS students will be particularly interested in records such as those of Fordwich (records stretching from 1276 to the mid-20th century), Eastbridge Hospital (c.1200-1978), and the Hales family papers (1250-1868).
  • Incunabula – The Library holds a number of fascinating incunabula (books printed before 1501), invaluable for the study of early printing and reading culture.
  • Medieval and Early Modern travel and exploration – We have a fantastic range of accounts of travels and guides to far-flung countries across the world, from a 1477 guide to Rome to descriptions of the known world in 1747.
  • Medieval and Early Modern printed literature and drama – As well as a small number of medieval printed works, we also have early modern editions of Chaucer, a Shakespeare Second Folio, rare surviving play quartos, and works by Spenser, Dryden, Kyd, and Aphra Behn, amongst many others.
  • Early Modern proclamations and politics – Some highlights include official printed proclamations (from Henry VIII through to Queen Anne), city charters, and the handwritten diaries of Elizabethan courtier and politician Sir Arthur Throckmorton.
  • English Civil War, Commonwealth, Restoration, and the Glorious Revolution pamphlets – We have a fantastic collection of 17th century pamphlets covering news, events, and debates on both a local and country-wide level. Highlights include coverage of Canterbury’s “Plum Pudding Riots” and the Kentish uprising, King Charles’ speech on the scaffold, and pamphlets surrounding the invasion of William, Prince of Orange.
  • Early Modern medical books – The collections include a number of herbals and botany books, volumes on surgery, anatomy, and medicine, and health guidance such as how to prevent and cure the plague.
  • Canterbury Cathedral Archives and Library work closely with Special Collections & Archives [INSERT LINK: https://blogs.kent.ac.uk/mems-library-guide/special-collections-archives/ ] to offer teaching, events and collaboration that spans both institutions’ collections.

You can access these treasures in the Reading Room, which is within the precincts of the Cathedral. You will need to request material in advance and make an appointment to view it. Our Reading Room is open for researchers on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

If you’re unsure about something then please do drop the lovely Catherdral Library and Archives team an email! They love welcoming students, and know that the first time visiting an archive can seem scary – if you have any questions (no matter how small!) about visiting or using the collections they will be very pleased to help. The email for all enquiries and bookings is: archives@canterbury-cathedral.org