Radcliffe Library
The early and valuable printed books (some 900 items) and more than 60 manuscripts and manuscript fragments deposited by the Anglican Cathedral in Liverpool.
The Cathedral Church of Christ in Liverpool (built 1904-1978) is the largest Gothic cathedral in Europe, and Sir Frederick Radcliffe (d.1952), its major benefactor, determined it should have appropriate collections. The Cathedral Library is founded on Radcliffe's gift of the Wordsworth collection of liturgical books, and the medieval manuscripts bought by Dr. F.C. Eeles on Radcliffe's instructions in the 1930s.
The Radcliffe Manuscripts include the textually important late 9th century fragment of Agius' poem on the Kalendar (Radcliffe MS 59) and a late fifteenth century English Hours of the Guardian Angel particularly notable for its presentation miniature depicting a woman donor and enthroned queen, either Elizabeth, queen of Henry VII or her mother Elizabeth Woodville.
The Radcliffe Library also contains early printed books, fine bindings, local items, including 19th century bellringers' books from St. Peter's, Liverpool's pro-cathedral and almost 100 volumes of private press books, including works printed for the Cathedral by Bert Jackson's Lilac Tree Press at Wallasey and several with illustrations by Stephen Gooden, such as the Nonesuch Press Bible.