Harley Manuscripts

The Harley Manuscripts are a collection at the British Library comprising around 7,600 documents from the medieval period and beyond. These include more than 2,000 illuminated manuscripts alongside legal texts and documents from various regions and cultures.

Robert Harley began gathering this collection in 1704, creating one of the most significant private manuscript collections of his time. The British government purchased the entire collection in 1753, establishing it as the foundation of the British Museum's manuscript holdings.

The manuscripts represent texts from early Britain, Western Europe, and the Byzantine world, written in diverse languages. They show how knowledge and learning were valued and preserved across different regions and periods.

Visitors can access digital versions of many manuscripts through the British Library's online platform from any location. Those wishing to examine the physical originals must register in advance and schedule a visit to the reading room.

The collection holds the Lacnunga, an Anglo-Saxon medical manuscript containing practical healing instructions and remedies from the early medieval period. Also housed here is the celebrated Harley Psalter with its detailed illustrations and an inventory belonging to Henry VIII.

Inception: October 1704

Founders: Robert Harley, 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer

Website: https://bl.uk/collection-guides/harley-manuscripts

GPS coordinates: 51.53000,-0.12800

Latest update: December 10, 2025 16:22