Heythrop Library

On 2 June 2025, our rare book cataloguer, Alison Felstead, gave a superb introduction to the history and contents of the Heythrop Library’s rare book collection, as well as providing some tantalising insights into the work of antiquarian cataloguing. Alison first traced the origins of the Heythrop collection, from the 1614 establishment of a training centre for English Jesuits in Louvain, right up to the move of approximately 1000 Heythrop books to Campion Hall in July 2018. There is thought to be an additional 15,000 Heythrop Library books printed before 1800. These are stored in dedicated facilities in Cheshire.

Alison explained that a large element of her work as an antiquarian cataloguer was recording the provenance information in the books, such as book plates, library stamps and ownership inscriptions, as well as annotations, inserts, binding information and anything else of potential interest to researchers. She explained that many of the books she has catalogued bear provenance evidence from the previous incarnations of Heythrop – from Louvain, the English College at Liège, Stonyhurst (St Mary’s Hall) and St Beuno’s. Other books come from UK Jesuit colleges, such as St George’s, Beaumont College and Manresa House, as well as various locations in Europe.

After the talk, everyone had a chance to view the 13 works on display. These illustrated some of the strengths of the Heythrop collection, including religious books with associations to notable Jesuits, and two of the many bibles in the collection. A number of scientific works reflected the important role that the Jesuits played in scientific research and teaching in the 17^th and 18^th centuries. Three of the approximate 50 incunabula (books published before 1501) in the collection were also on display, including an English translation of Voragine’s Legenda aurea, or, The golden legend – a collection of over 150 hagiographies, accompanied by many woodcuts of the saints.

The evening was a great success and it is hoped to repeat the event in future. In the meantime, you can search for all the works Alison has catalogued on the University of Oxford’s online library catalogue SOLO. Please contact the Librarian if you would like to make an appointment to consult any of the books.

LJ