Chetham’s Library

An illustrated guide to Chetham’s Library, the oldest surviving public library in Britain, and the medieval building complex in which it is housed.

Chetham’s Library is the oldest surviving public library in Britain. It was founded in 1653, under the will of Humphrey Chetham, a prosperous Manchester textile merchant, banker and landowner. His legacy also established a school for 40 poor boys (now a specialist music school) and provided for five chained libraries to be placed in local churches.

The Library, in Manchester, England, is housed in a beautiful sandstone building dating from 1421, which was constructed to accommodate the priests of Manchester’s Collegiate Church (now the Cathedral). It remains one of the most complete medieval building complexes to survive in the northwest of England. The building and the magnificent library interior create a unique atmosphere for both readers and visitors.

The Inside series focuses on the mission and organisation of an institution - the context in which it operates and the people who make it work. It tells the story of how an institution has evolved through its people, history, architecture, purpose and practice.