Home to the oldest public library in the English speaking world (Chetham’s Library), the most used public library in the United Kingdom (Manchester Central Library), and the third largest academic library in the country (John Ryland’s Library), it is little surprise that Manchester, England forms part of UNESCO’s City of Literature network. Here’s a look at some of the most stunning Manchester libraries:
John Ryland’s Library
A truly breath-taking library, John Ryland’s Library is an English Gothic splendour forming part of the University of Manchester’s scholarly libraries. As well as the third largest academic library in the UK and one of the five leading university special collections in the world, the establishment holds some of the oldest and rarest artefacts and manuscripts in the world, including the oldest surviving fragment of text from the New Testament, which is on permanent display within the library’s exhibition quarters.
The library was established as an ever-lasting love letter to 19th-century manufacturer multimillionaire and philanthropist, John Rylands, by his Cuban-born wife Enriqueta Augustina Rylands. Enriqueta commissioned the construction of the building (designed by Basil Champneys who also designed multiple colleges at Oxford) and purchased the Althorp Library from Earl Spencer in 1892, and Lord Crawford’s manuscripts, to form the basis of the library’s collection. Today, the collection far exceeds a million volumes.
Despite the storied manuscripts and artefacts, and the genesis of the building, the finest asset is the superior architecture, from its Neo-gothic masterpiece exterior, to the cathedral-esque interiors. The reading room alone features large stained glass windows, full-sized marble and bronze statues, stonework, gothic architraving around bookcases and antique woodwork.
The Portico Library
As a UNESCO designated city of literature, it is perhaps a-given that the city would have a private members’ library.
Opened in 1806 as an “institute uniting the advantages of a newsroom and a library” for refined gentlemen of Manchester to meet, discuss and read. Today, it still runs as a subscription-library, as well as a literary venue for authors and readers, including hosting the biennial Portico Prize.
Built in a Greek-revival style, the library’s second storey reading room has remained largely unchanged since the 1920s, with a wealth of wall-to-wall antique and first-edition books.
Unsurprisingly, the membership of The Portico library has been a Who’s Who of esteemed British intellects, from physicist John Dalton to Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel.
Central Library
Located in the heart of the city, Manchester Central Library is the most used public library in the country, and perhaps its beautiful architecture has something to do with it.
In 1852 Manchester became the first authority to establish a public lending and reference library, which was opened by Charles Dickens and contributed to by Prince Albert. Over the years, the library moved site, but in 1934 it finally found its home in a purpose-built Pantheon-inspired building opened by King George V. At the time it was the largest public library in the United Kingdom.
The colossal collection includes over 40,000 rare volumes and collections including The Manchester Sonatas; a collection of unknown violin sonatas by Vivaldi, found amongst a broad selection of sheet music in the music manuscript collection.
Chetham’s Library
The stuff of fantasy and dark academia dreams, Chetham’s Library has the pedigree to put even fictional libraries to shame. Established in 1653, the entirety of the library’s collection is designated as a ‘collection of national and international importance’, featuring 16th- and 17th-century volumes, medieval manuscripts, and other texts. Bequeathed by textile merchant and philanthropist Humphrey Chetham, the library forms part of Chetham’s Hospital; a campus of medieval buildings including the library and the Chetham’s School of Music. The building housing Chetham’s was a priests college, built in 1421 under license from King Henry V and founded by Thomas la Warr, 5th Baron De La Warr.
The library is one of the best preserved medieval buildings in the country, with all furniture dating back to its inception in the 1650s, including the reading room’s central large gate leg table and twenty-four leather backed Cromwellian-style chairs, as well as over twenty carved oak stools featuring S-handles, crafted for readers to use and move throughout the library. In more recent history, the library was the meeting place of Karl Marx and Frederic Engles, who worked together on a series of research papers at the library, in the early 19th century, leading to the publication of The Communist Manifesto. The three-windowed alcove, featuring the integrated wood benches and table that Marx and Engles spent hours at, is a frequent site of pilgrimage for, usually, followers or scholars of communist history.
Find more bibliophilic inspiration in previous posts such as the best libraries in Europe, part one and two, the best libraries in Australia, the best libraries in the USA (part one), or use the ‘library‘ tag to find reading recommendations or other reading room ideas.
feature image: Michael D. Beckwith