Medieval Manuscripts

We're added five medieval manuscripts of outstanding national heritage significance to the national collection. ⭐️A trilingual Hebrew-Latin-French dictionary ⭐️The Red Book of Bath ⭐️Works of Richard Rolle ⭐️Middle English sermons ⭐️Arma Christi blogs.bl.uk/digitisedmanus…

The portrait of Pierre Sala opposite a French inscription in mirror writing, from a collection of love poems he wrote for his future wife Marguerite Bullioud in around the year 1500 (Stowe MS 955) searcharchives.bl.uk/catalog/040-00…

@MichaelRosenYes Hi Michael, yes the translations of both the hymn and the Seven Penitential Psalms do rhyme using ABAB form, e.g. the first one here.

@BLMedieval When you say 'verse', do the translations rhyme or are they in free verse?

Now returned online: this tiny golden girdle book, made around 1540, containing an English verse translation of the Psalms and an added portrait of Henry VIII (Stowe MS 956). searcharchives.bl.uk/catalog/040-00…

The Guthlac Roll is back online! A 13th-century parchment roll from Crowland Abbey telling the story of the life of St Guthlac in 18 drawings (Harley Roll Y 6) You can consult the whole roll through the online catalogue record: searcharchives.bl.uk/catalog/040-00…

Soon be that time again! #SpringEquinox2026 BL Add 18856; Guyart des Moulins, Bible historiale; c.1420 CE; France, Central (Paris); f.5v @BLMedieval

We have an incredible new PhD placement opportunity to help support the development and curation of our major exhibition on the Norman Conquest, opening in October 2027. Learn more and apply through the link below! bl.uk/services/resea…

Fully funded AHRC CDP Rediscovering a Woman Collector at the British Library: New Sources and Perspectives on Sarah Sophia Banks ucl.ac.uk/arts-humanitie…

Newly restored online: Leonardo da Vinci's Notebook, (Arundel MS 263), written in his characteristic mirror-writing with diagrams, drawings, brief texts, and personal notes. You can consult the entire manuscript online now: searcharchives.bl.uk/catalog/040-00…

Hwaet! The digitised images of the Beowulf Manuscript (Cotton MS Vitellius A XV) have been restored online. You can consult the entire manuscript through the online catalogue: searcharchives.bl.uk/catalog/040-00…

Jewish Worlds and Words in Medieval England: Revealing remarkable collaborations through manuscripts Join us for a special event at the British Library on 2 March, when Dean Irwin and Judith Olszowy-Schlanger will introduce an extraordinary manuscript events.bl.uk/events/jewish-…

Want to level up your library career this year? We’re looking for international mid-career library and archive professionals to join us this summer at our International Library Leaders Programme. Learn more link.bl.uk/ILLP2026

Now on display in the Treasures Gallery @britishlibrary is a hugely important manuscript for the life of Margaret Kirkby, a medieval Yorkshire anchoress. We'd love you to see it if you're visiting London. bl.uk/stories/blogs/…

Cataloguer and Researcher of Medieval Manuscripts Does this job appeal to you? We are looking for someone to join our team. You can find out more via the British Library's jobs pages. The deadline for applications is 18 January: bl.uk/about/careers

Just a week to go before expressions of interest close for our proposed PhD, on the dispersal of manuscripts from the Cotton collection. Fancy co-supervising a collaborative PhD with @BLMedieval? Please apply before 28 November 👍 bl.uk/stories/blogs/…

Bk 4 opens with an eclipse, pestilence, the return of Colman to his own people, and the death of Deusdedit the sixth bishop of Canterbury. BL Cotton MS Tiberius C II; Bede, Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum; late 8th-early 9th century; England, S.; f.94r @BLMedieval

We are delighted to have loaned the Paduan Bible Picture Book to the Diocesan Museum in Padua, where it is on display alongside its sister volume. bl.uk/stories/blogs/…

"I read the news today, oh boy, The Nature of Gothic in Blackburn, Lancashire" bl.uk/stories/blogs/…

Would you like to co-supervise a PhD with the Medieval Manuscripts team? We're seeking a UK academic partner for a CDP on the dispersal of manuscripts from the Cotton collection, starting in October 2026. The deadline for applications is 28 November. bl.uk/stories/blogs/…

Thanks to specialist imaging undertaken at the British Library, we are able to shed new light on an important historical text. Find out more here about William Camden's Annals of the Reign of Elizabeth I: bl.uk/stories/blogs/…

Remember, remember, the 28th of November. That's the deadline for applications to co-supervise a collaborative PhD on the dispersal of manuscripts from the Cotton collection. We would love to hear from you. bl.uk/stories/blogs/…