Seb Falk will unpick the curious history of medieval calendars. From the mind-bending maths required to establish the precise length of the year and calculate the date of Easter, to their accumulation of a wealth of astronomical, astrological and devotional data, to their use as frames for stunning seasonal art, calendars are endlessly fascinating. This […]

Accordion, screenfold, chain—various terms have been applied to books folded in a zig-zag or ‘concertina’ pattern. Seen now as novelties, concertina-fold books were once found worldwide. They were even the preferred or sole book format in some places, before the imperial spread of the codex. This one-day symposium gathers international experts to talk about the […]

Join us for a short curatorial introduction to our newest exhibition, 'Unfolding Time', after which the curator will be present for questions and discussion. Come and explore medieval concepts of the past, present and future through a rare and remarkable group of manuscripts: concertina-fold almanacs. Within the zigzag folds of these extraordinary books, time is […]

An Institute of Historical Research and Friends of Lambeth Palace Library seminar. It is no news that European divines sometimes had an important impact on English Protestantism. But in this paper I would like to rethink more broadly the status of the texts and individuals that we use to investigate the Church of England in […]

Philip Williamson presents 'Royal prayers: Henry VIII to Charles III'. For five centuries, the Church of England has prayed for the sovereign and for members of the royal family. This lecture will consider the types, purposes and alterations in these prayers for royalty, in The Book of Common Prayer, in prayers before sermons, and in […]

Dr Joseph Mason will give a short paper to introduce the exhibition Sing Joyfully: Exploring Music in Lambeth Palace Library. In particular, he will discuss a newly discovered piece of medieval polyphony found in Lambeth Palace Library's foundational printed collections. These two leaves, which date to the late thirteenth or early fourteenth century, contain four […]

Beyond the churches in our streets, the archives held at Lambeth Palace Library shed light on the development of parts of Lambeth’s built environment and on its social history. This talk will explore the richness of these collections and highlight some surprising finds relating to locations around the borough. All are welcome, but those wishing […]

Join us for a free tour of spaces not usually open to the public, in association with Lambeth Local History Forum. Behind the scenes tour of the Lambeth Palace Library building, including visits to the Collections Care Studio and the 8th floor terrace for amazing views. The tour will explain the history of the library, […]

To accompany our upcoming exhibition ‘Sing Joyfully: Exploring Music in Lambeth Palace Library’, Lambeth Palace Library will be hosting a symposium on the subject of ‘Music and Reformation’. The symposium forms part of Lambeth Palace Library’s celebration of the 500th anniversary of the Arundel Choirbook (Lambeth Palace Library MS 1), a volume which has been […]

Join us for a free tour of spaces not usually open to the public, in association with Lambeth Local History Forum. Behind the scenes tour of the Lambeth Palace Library building, including visits to the Collections Care Studio and the 8th floor terrace for amazing views. The tour will explain the history of the library, […]

To celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Arundel Choirbook (Lambeth Palace Library MS 1), in conjunction with the exhibition ‘Sing Joyfully: Exploring Music in Lambeth Palace Library’, join us at St Nicholas’ Church in historic Arundel, West Sussex, for a concert of music from the Arundel Choirbook and its contemporaries. This is a unique opportunity […]

To celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Arundel Choirbook (Lambeth Palace Library MS 1), in conjunction with the exhibition ‘Sing Joyfully: Exploring Music in Lambeth Palace Library', join us in Lambeth Palace’s Great Hall for a concert of music from the Arundel Choirbook and its contemporaries. Performed by the Iken Scholars, one of London’s premier […]