A local collection of manuscript volumes offers an extraordinarily rich perspective on the literary tastes and religious faith of our medieval ancestors. Illustrated French romances and fourteenth-century texts in English demonstrate the move of literature from Latin to native languages, while a single leaf records in English the life of St Zita, the Italian saint of housekeepers. The volumes in question represent a remnant of the rich library collection formerly housed at Wollaton Hall, together with the magnificent Wollaton Antiphonal. Such books have faced many risks to their survival over the centuries and original binding features are often lost in later repairs. While the Wollaton volumes all remain fragile, they provide valuable evidence about their first creation and use. The decoration of medieval volumes is an essential part of their charm for modern readers. The Antiphonal’s conservation programme allows the display of more than one illuminated page, and digital images enable the details of illustrations to be viewed for the first time. Professor Thorlac Turville-Petre . Professor of Medieval Literature, is the academic adviser on this project.
A series of talks, events and concerts will be held to accompany the exhibition. Places are limited so please book your tickets with the Box Office on 0115 8467777. More information about this exhibition
Video about Professor Thorlac Turville-Petre's work on the Wollaton Antiphonal
News item on the BBC website about the Wollaton Antiphonal
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