The Vicar’s Library, one of Marlborough’s hidden treasures, was bequeathed to the town by Rev William White in 1678 for the use by the Vicar of St Mary’s and under the trusteeship of the Mayor and Corporation of Marlborough. It includes 237 items printed in Britain before 1641, of which 8 are the only known copies and another 45 are rare. The oldest book was published in 1487. The library is on permanent loan to the Bodleian Library in Oxford. Now a short information film to raise awareness of this unique book collection has been made. The film was made by Grisha Nikolsky and is narrated by Marlborough’s Mayor – Cllr. Nick Fogg. Click here to view the film which is posted on the Town Council website.
Ilse Nikolsky, a volunteer and guide at Marlborough’s Museum in the Merchant’s House, is behind the project. She told Marlborough.news, “We needed some way of alerting people that the town has this treasure which has a fascinating history. The books are kept in custom made acid proof boxes and in temperature and moisture controlled conditions in the Bodleian as they are very fragile so it would not be possible to have any of them in Marlborough’s museum. I hope this short information film will raise awareness of this wonderful library.”
Marlborough Town Council gave the collection to the Bodleian Library Oxford on permanent loan in 1985. Each Mayor is a trustee of the collection and free to inspect it, as can anyone by prior arrangement.
To read more about the Vicar’s Library click here
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