Medieval and early modern Britain
British historical and literary manuscripts, 600–1600
Modern history that is british
British history from 1600 to the present
Contemporary Britain
Collections reflecting contemporary society that is british culture
Literature and drama
Collections relating to literature that is english British theatre
The British Library collection of maps, plans and views is just one of the largest within the world, numbering some 4.5 million
The British Library has a world-famous assortment of music
Arts and humanities
Collections for the scholarly study of history, culture and society
Social sciences
Research resources on politics, economics, law, sociology and other subjects.
Digital scholarship
Undertake innovative research with our digital collections and data
Law and legal studies
Historical and current resources for the study of law, legislation and society
Genealogy and family history
Primary sources and reference material for family genealogy and history research
Manuscripts Reading Room
The Manuscripts Reading Room could be the enquiry point for the Library’s western language manuscript collections (in other words. written by hand, not printed). The collection includes literary, historical manuscripts and private papers.
- Find home elevators the shelves about the Library’s collection that is british of manuscripts and those held elsewhere
- Access online databases and electronic journals and books relating to archives and manuscripts
- Order collection items into the Reading Room via our Explore Archives & Manuscripts Catalogue
A few of our manuscripts may necessitate a Letter of Introduction, or might have other Access Conditions.
We provide free Discovery and 1-2-1 Sessions that will help you make the best use for the Library’s collections.
For enquiries, please contact the Manuscripts Reference Team
Blog posts
The Theatre Censors Part 2: William Bodham Donne
William Bodham Donne became Examiner of Plays in 1857. He officially assumed the role following the death of John Mitchell Kemble, but Donne had recently been examining plays on his behalf since 1849. Donne was focused on his job and.
James Knight’s “History of Jamaica”
We are delighted to share this web site by Jamie Gemmell. Jamie is a year that is third at the University of Edinburgh and was awarded a Carnegie Vacation Scholarship to produce a partial digital edition of James Knight’s “History of Jamaica”.
New Anglo-Saxon acquisition on display
Earlier this present year, the Library that is british was to get a leaf of an Anglo-Saxon benedictional (a service book used by a bishop). At the time we stated that, despite its fragmentary nature, this manuscript was of great significance for.
Writing Wyatt
Have you ever wondered how a poet that is 16th-century their works together? A writer with an eye to posterity may have followed the exemplory case of Sir Thomas Wyatt (c. 1503–1542), poet, ambassador and lover that is rumoured of Boleyn. In the.
Case studies
Exploring how the Anglo-Saxons used manuscripts to have Rome from afar.
Examining the working lifetime of a scientist that is twentieth-century the archive of John Maynard Smith.
AHRC Innovation Placement Fellow
Investigating constructions of identity in the works and archive of the writer Ruth Prawer Jhabvala.
The British Library houses one of the world’s greatest collections of illuminated manuscripts, and Janet Backhouse has drawn on this rich resource to make a selection of outstanding examples that span over 800 many years of medieval book production.
?8.95
A History for the Book in 100 Books (hardback)
From inscriptions on tombs to the first writings on papyrus; from scrolls towards the first bound codex books in Roman times.
Codex Sinaiticus: New Perspectives on the Ancient Biblical Manuscript
Codex Sinaiticus is one of the most books that are important the entire world.