Library & Legacy: the story of Lichfield Cathedral Library and the Seymour Collection

This exhibition in the Chapter House at Lichfield Cathedral tells the story of why the Cathedral’s Library is unusual - possibly unique - amongst cathedral libraries.

The mediaeval library at Lichfield was almost totally lost during the English Civil War, when the Cathedral was besieged three times. The Cathedral Close was at that time surrounded on three sides by walls and, with Minster Pool on the fourth side, the Close was the best protected part of the city. The fighting was intense resulting in the destruction of a large number of buildings in The Close and the Cathedral itself was badly damaged.

Another major casualty of the Civil War sieges was the Cathedral’s library. The books were looted and many were probably destroyed. Only three books from Lichfield’s medieval library are still at Lichfield, including the 8th century St Chad Gospels. This book, thought to have been created to honour the shrine of St Chad, was taken from the Cathedral during the Civil War and given to Frances Devereux, later to become the Duchess of Somerset, for safe-keeping. Frances had family links with Drayton Bassett, just a few miles from Lichfield. The Cathedral has the wooden cupboard, known as The Ark, in which she kept the Gospels whilst they were in her care.

After the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660, Bishop John Hacket organised fund-raising to restore the Cathedral. The buildings were largely repaired, including the rebuilding of the central spire, within ten years.

In the 1670s, Frances Devereux returned the St Chad Gospels to the Cathedral.  At the same time, a new Cathedral library was established with the gift of more than 400 books from the collection of Frances’ husband, William Seymour, Duke of Somerset. He was a direct descendant of Jane Seymour’s brother, Edward Seymour, who was the first Protector of the young King Edward VI.  William himself had a colourful history. At the age of 22, he secretly married Lady Arbella Stuart, who was 13 years William’s senior and had a claim to the throne. As a result, King James VI and I had William imprisoned in the Tower of London and Arbella placed under house arrest.  William escaped from the Tower and planned to meet Arbella, but her escape attempt was foiled and she was captured and subsequently died in the Tower. William went into exile in France. On his return to England he became a trusted associate of Charles I, who put him in charge of the household of the Prince of Wales, later Charles II. William married Frances Devereux in 1617.

Having inherited her husband’s library on his death in 1660, Frances bequeathed the collection to Lichfield. She wrote in her will: “for the respect which I and my family have received from the City of Lichfield, I give the books which were my late deceased husband’s, to the Church of Lichfield to be put in the new library there.”

William’s books thus formed the basis for a new Cathedral Library, which now contains three survivors from the mediaeval library, more than 400 books from William Seymour’s library, and thousands of books acquired in the past 350 years.  Most of William’s books were not religious; rather, they reflected the interests of an educated and wealthy 17th century gentleman.  Consequently Lichfield Cathedral’s library is different from that of a typical cathedral library, including William’s collection of magnificent early map books, beautifully illustrated editions of the classics, histories, literature, books on philosophy, and a manual on sword-fighting.

The exhibition explores William Seymour’s library, displaying the types of books which he (and his ancestors) chose to include in their libraries and how this reflected the culture of their time. It is hoped that the exhibition will encourage visitors to consider what books we choose to have in our homes nowadays and, indeed, whether books are still relevant in a digital age.

The exhibition also includes the only three books known to have survived at Lichfield from the mediaeval collection.

The exhibition has been curated by the Cathedral’s Library Manager, Clare Townsend, and Exhibition Officer, Ishbel Curr.

Open Saturday 22nd April to Sunday 3rd September 2023, during normal Cathedral opening hours

Free admission

Click here for more information.