The Christopher Wordsworth Library, also known as the Bishops' Wordsworth Collection.

The Christopher Wordsworth Collection holds material from the library of Christopher Wordsworth (1848-1938); great-grandson of Christopher Wordsworth (1774-1846), Master of Trinity College Cambridge, great-nephew of the poet William Wordsworth, nephew of Charles Wordsworth (1806-1892), Bishop of St. Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane, son of Christopher (1807-1885), Bishop of Lincoln, and brother to John (1843-1911), Bishop of Salisbury and Dame Elizabeth Wordsworth (1840-1932), the founding Principal of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford, a college for female undergraduates.

Christopher Wordsworth served as chancellor of Lincoln Cathedral and later was a canon of Salisbury Cathedral, where he held a number of posts including that of librarian and chancellor. Wordsworth's library collection reflects his academic interest in historical and liturgical research. He was an avid bibliophile and became the family historian, collecting books, tracts and ephemera written by and owned by members of the family. There is evidence of Christopher's copious notes, annotations, and contents lists he add to many of the books in the collection, and he attached newspaper cuttings, book reviews, auction catalogue listings and personal correspondence. He also collated multiple tracts and bound them together in unique volumes.

Christopher Wordsworth safeguarded the family library at St. Nicholas' Hospital, where he lived as Master of the Hospital towards the end of his life. After his death in 1938, the collection was sold by his family to Sir Frederick Radcliffe on behalf of Liverpool Cathedral.

Please consult the Visiting the Library webpage containing access information for external visitors. The archives and special collections are available for consultation by special appointment only. To arrange an appointment please email specialcollections@hope.ac.uk . Allow at least 24 hours' notice. Please note that, in line with other archives and special collections, we require personal identification, and may, in some circumstances, ask you to provide references from your research supervisor or other suitable person or body.

The collection is reference only and must be consulted in the Reading Room with the supervision of the Special Collections Librarian. For more information about our collections and archives please visit the Archives and Special Collections webpages.

The Christopher Wordsworth Library is fully catalogued and can be searched using the library catalogue OneSearch.

Photocopies and photographic images can be supplied for private study purposes only, depending on the condition and size of the original documents, as long as it complies with copyright law and Data Protection legislation.

To reproduce an image for publication, either for personal or commercial purposes, requires written consent from the rights holder. Please refer to the Special Collections webpages for detailed information on restrictions to access, digital reproduction and image licensing.