Graveley Parish Library

The Graveley Parish Library is a collection of approximately 1,875 volumes published chiefly in the 17th and 18th centuries, with a few from the 16th century. There are some 23 STC items, 242 Wing items, 11 16th century continental books and 99 17th century continental books. The main subject is theology (including 19 volumes of separately published sermons), followed by history, particularly church history. There are also books on science, including Newton's Optice (1706), travels, antiquities, classics, dictionaries and grammars, and a run of the Gentleman's Magazine, 1733-64. Most of the books are in English, with some in Latin and French. Most are bound in plain contemporary calf.

The library was originally the property of Henry Trotter (d. 1766), rector of the parish of Graveley, near Ely in Cambridgeshire, and the books contain the plate: "Bibliotheca Graveleiana Henrici Trotter olim Coll. Jesu Cant. Socii Graveley Parochii Rectoris testamento condita AD 1766". He bequeathed it to his successors for the use of the neighbouring clergy. When the rectory was sold, the books were transferred to Jesus College, Cambridge, as the patron of the living. In 1960 Jesus College deposited the collection in the Senate House Library. The collection is briefly described in: A Directory of the Parochial Libraries of the Church of England and the Church in Wales, rev. edn., rev. by Michael Perkin (London: 2004). The collection complements the Porteus Library.

The c1,875 items include books, bound tracts and periodicals, currently (2004) not recorded on the Library's catalogue. A photocopy of the card catalogue held at Jesus College Cambridge is available from Special Collections staff.

shl.specialcollections@london.ac.uk 020 7862 8470