The Friends of Lambeth Palace Library was founded in 1964 as a focus of support for the Library, and to help in adding to its collections for the benefit of present and future generations. The Friends bring together like-minded people with an interest in the Library's history and collections, and provides invaluable assistance in the acquisition of rare books and manuscripts and in conservation. Friends receive a copy of the Library's annual report, which includes information on all the Library's activities, as well as details of books and manuscripts acquired during the year. The Archbishop invites Friends to the AGM which is held in the Great Hall or the Guard Room of Lambeth Palace each summer, with a lecture by a well-known scholar followed by tea. 

Other events are arranged throughout the year. We are fortunate enough to have an enthusiastic volunteer organizer, John Critchley, who is investigating new possibilities. Visits in 2019 included the British Library Anglo-Saxon exhibition, Lichfield Cathedral and City and a bibliophile's walk round St James's. Future visits will include Audleu End, Croydon Palace and Clerkenwell Priory Church. Concerts in the Great Hall have occasionally been arranged, and Friends are invited to various lectures and other events in the Library.

 More details concerning visits and events are attached to the right. The majority of visits were suspended in 2020, and the Friends' Visits Secretary is understandably reluctant to make further plans until the new year trend in infection rates becomes clear. He has, however, agreed with staff at Canterbury Cathedral that the visit planned for 21st February 2021 will stay on the stocks for the time being. Please let John know if you would like to take part in that visit. There are enough postponed or planned visits to fill the next two years so please check back here for up to date information on the visits programme.    

Printed books presented by the Friends have included the famous indulgence of Leo X issued in 1516 on the eve of the Reformation, a presentation copy of Luther's tract against Henry VIII printed in 1522, the very rare Book of Common Prayer of 1559, the first prayer book of Elizabeth I, and the first English edition of Foxe's Book of Martyrs of 1563. 

Manuscripts have included letters and papers of Archbishops Arundel, Sancroft, Manners Sutton and Howley, papers relating to the divorce of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, and an important series of documents removed from the study of Archbishop Laud after his arrest and recovered with the help of the Friends more than 300 years later.

A list of items presented by the Friends and information on how to leave a legacy are attached to the right. 

Please join the Friends so that, with your help, the Library may continue to develop and flourish. Click on the link to the right for a membership application form, which can be printed out. Alternatively write or email to the addresses below for a copy of the application form and the Friends' brochure which adds more details (though this can also be checked and printed out from the links to the right).

Friends of Lambeth Palace Library

Lambeth Palace Library,
15 Lambeth Palace Road
London
SE1 7JT

tel: +44 (020 7898 1400 

libraryfriends@lambethpalace.org [11] or contact the Library Administrator at melissa.harrison@churchofengland.org [12]

The Library contains one of the most important collections of early printed books in any of the great national libraries. The Back-a-Book scheme asks for your help in preserving the Library's heritage for future generations.

Please sponsor the vital conservation and repair of a book and play a part in the Library's future. Sponsorship can be by individuals or organisations, and can be made on behalf of others, or in someone's memory. Following repair, each book will have a bookplate placed inside which will include an appropriate message of acknowledgement.

As well as suffering from general wear and tear, the libraries of both Lambeth Palace and Sion College were bombed during World War II and many thousands of the Sion books still have unrepaired bomb damage. There is therefore a need for an extensive programme of specialist repair.

We welcome all donations, but as a guide:

£30 will rebind a small volume in buckram
£150 will restore a leather binding
£250 helps conserve a volume requiring paper and binding conservation

To Back-a-Book, please complete an application form (attached, right) and return it to the Library.

The Library sells a range of greetings cards, displaying images of items from the Library's collections:

The Library is always very grateful for donations, which support the cataloguing and conservation of our collections. To make a donation please click on the button below.