Chetham's Library, Reference library in Cathedral Gardens, Manchester, England
The building features medieval sandstone architecture with heavy oak doors, high ceilings, and traditional reading rooms filled with wooden bookcases.
Humphrey Chetham established this public library in 1653, making it the oldest continuously operating public library in English-speaking countries.
Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels conducted research for The Communist Manifesto at this library, using the reading alcove by the window.
Library visits require advance reservations through guided tours, with research appointments available Monday through Friday from 9:00 to 12:30.
The collection includes 41 medieval manuscripts and over 100,000 volumes, with 60,000 books published before 1851 stored in original oak cases.
Location: Manchester
Inception: 1653
Address: Long Millgate, Manchester, M3 1SB M3 1SB
Opening Hours: Monday-Friday 09:00-12:30,13:30-14:30; Holidays closed
Email: librarian@chethams.org.uk
Website: https://library.chethams.com
GPS coordinates: 53.48661,-2.24427
Latest update: May 27, 2025 13:17
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