Holdings of Lambeth Palace Library
Printed books
The Lambeth Palace Library collections (excluding Sion College collections) contain some 120,000 books, 40,000 pamphlets, and over 100 current periodicals relating in the main, but not exclusively, to the history of the Church of England and its relations with other Churches both in Great Britain and overseas. The core of the collection of early printed books was bequeathed by the Library's founder, Archbishop Bancroft, in 1610 and includes books belonging to some of his predecessors, namely Cranmer, Grindal and Whitgift. The collections have been enlarged by gifts from successive archbishops, especially Abbot, Sheldon, Tenison, Secker, and Davidson, by the acquisition of the libraries of the Dutch Church and Church House, and by a judicious policy of purchase by recent librarians. Many of the books and pamphlets relate to or amplify the archives and manuscripts.Return to introduction to holdings
- The main catalogue of printed books is available online
- View lists of recent printed books accessions
- Other relevant catalogues:
English and foreign books to 1500 (c. 200).
All the Library's incunabula
are noted in the Incunabula Short-Title Catalogue
(ISTC).
English, 1475-1640 (c. 4,000).
Pollard,
A.W. & Redgrave, G.R. A short-title catalogue of books printed in
England, Scotland and Ireland, and of English books printed abroad, 1475-1640,
(1926), revised and enlarged by Pantzer, Katherine P. (1976-91, 3 vols.).
Lambeth's copy is annotated with the Library's holdings.
English, 1641-1700 (c. 6,000).
Wing,
Donald
Short-title catalogue of books printed in England, Scotland,
Ireland, Wales and British America, and of English books printed in other
countries 1641-1700, (1945-51, revised, 1972-94; 3 vols.).
Lambeth's copy is annotated
with the Library's holdings.
English, 1701-1799 (c. 12,000).
Most of the Library's
18th century books and pamphlets are noted in the
English
Short-Title Catalogue (ESTC).