On Wednesday 31 October at 7.30pm, in the Boniface Centre, Anna-Lujz Gilbert, a PhD student from Exeter University, will give an illustrated talk about the Crediton Parish Church library.
In 1720/21 Rev Thomas Ley bequeathed the parish a very generous gift: the large library he had spent a lifetime collecting. At this time books were expensive and could be difficult to get hold of, so the gift was of real significance for a provincial town such as Crediton.
The library is an unusually varied collection of around 1500 volumes and a further 1000 or so pamphlets. The talk will give an historical overview of the library, how it was set up and why, before looking in more depth at some of the more unexpected items in the collection.
Through these examples the audience will get a sense of what it is like to read books in the first few centuries after the invention of the printing press and why Crediton's parish library is valuable. Since 1968 the collection has been housed at Exeter University.
Admission to the talk is £5. Further information is available from 01363 772865.