Manuscript volumes from the Coleorton Parish Library Special Collection

The items form part of the Coleorton Parish Library Special Collection (see CPPL). This private library from Coleorton Rectory, Leicestershire, was the library of a parish priest, begun in the second half of the 17th century. The core of the collection appears to have been bequeathed to Coleorton Rectory in 1736 by the will of the Revd William Hunt, Rector of Thringstone. An extract from the will reads 'Then I give all my books to the Rectory of Coleorton aforesaid for ever to be for the use and benefit of the Rector there for the time being. And I do hereby desire that the present Rector Mr Lebon will take upon him to see the said books carefully placed in some convenient part of the parsonage house in Coleorton aforesaid that they may be for ever used and enjoyed by the Rector of Coleorton according to my intent and meaning'. The collection remained in the Rectory at Coleorton until the late 1950s or 1960s, when the care of the library became burdensome to the incumbent and it was transferred to Church House in Leicester

No archival arrangement has been necessary

Accessible to all readers.

Copyright in all finding aids belongs to The University of Nottingham.

In the Reading Room, King's Meadow Campus: Typescript catalogue, XX pp.

Online: Available on the Manuscripts Online Catalogue, accessible from the website of Manuscripts and Special Collections.

Fragile

Identification of copyright holders of unpublished material is often difficult.

Permission to make any published use of any material from the collection must be sought in writing on our Permission to Publish form (see the Reprographics Services part of our website or email mss-library@nottingham.ac.uk)

Reprographic copies can be supplied for educational and private study purposes only, depending on access status and the condition of the documents.

The Library remained in the custody of the Diocese of Leicester at Church House for a few years, but a lack of space and poor storage conditions were causing deterioration in the condition of the books, and the Diocese sought alternative arrangements. An agreement was made in 1965 to transfer the books to the care of the County Library, and they were housed in Coalville Library where it was felt they would be close to their original location.

In 2006 the collection was transferred from the County Library to the University of Nottingham, and came into the keeping of Manuscripts & Special Collections. It remains on deposit from the Diocese of Leicester. These items were transferred from Special Collection to the archive collections in 2019 as they are manuscript volumes rather than printed but they reamin part of the Coleorton Parish Library.

Coleorton Parish Priests' Library, printed material (CPPL)