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11 - Universities, Colleges and Chantries

from III - PATRONS, PURCHASERS AND PRODUCTS

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 April 2014

James Willoughby
Affiliation:
New College
Vincent Gillespie
Affiliation:
J.R.R. Tolkien Professor of English Literature and Language at the University of Oxford
Susan Powell
Affiliation:
Held a Chair in Medieval Texts and Culture at the University of Salford, and is currently affiliated to the Universities of London and York
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Summary

In 1517 work was begun on a new library-room at Eton College, a grander building for an expanding collection. Chains for the books were bought in three different lengths and the windows were stained with vignettes to signify the various suits of study that were laid out on the shelves below. The provost, Roger Lupton, is credited with the building, and he also gave books to the college, a mixed collection in manuscript and print. Eton has been fortunate: the building, now Election Hall, still stands; Lupton's books are still on College shelves. As such, they serve to remind us that when we come to draw our conclusions on the early circulation and impact of print we should be aware of a slant in the evidence, in that conclusions respective to one constituency or another are easier to make from surviving copies, and survival has favoured the higher secular clergy. The libraries of their colleges at Oxford and Cambridge, at Eton and Winchester, and chapter libraries at the secular cathedrals, more or less stable across the breach of the Reformation, have kept good numbers of books on their shelves, unlike the houses of regular clergy where losses were comprehensive. Where there are not the physical books there is often a substantial archive that can hold catalogues or inventories of the pre-Reformation collection, or there may be testamentary evidence concerning bequests of books to the library, or registers of benefactors. Of course, not every class of secular institution was so fortunate.

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Publisher: Boydell & Brewer
Print publication year: 2014

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  • Universities, Colleges and Chantries
  • Edited by Vincent Gillespie, J.R.R. Tolkien Professor of English Literature and Language at the University of Oxford, Susan Powell, Held a Chair in Medieval Texts and Culture at the University of Salford, and is currently affiliated to the Universities of London and York
  • Book: A Companion to the Early Printed Book in Britain, 1476-1558
  • Online publication: 05 April 2014
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  • Universities, Colleges and Chantries
  • Edited by Vincent Gillespie, J.R.R. Tolkien Professor of English Literature and Language at the University of Oxford, Susan Powell, Held a Chair in Medieval Texts and Culture at the University of Salford, and is currently affiliated to the Universities of London and York
  • Book: A Companion to the Early Printed Book in Britain, 1476-1558
  • Online publication: 05 April 2014
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Universities, Colleges and Chantries
  • Edited by Vincent Gillespie, J.R.R. Tolkien Professor of English Literature and Language at the University of Oxford, Susan Powell, Held a Chair in Medieval Texts and Culture at the University of Salford, and is currently affiliated to the Universities of London and York
  • Book: A Companion to the Early Printed Book in Britain, 1476-1558
  • Online publication: 05 April 2014
Available formats
×