Gladstone's Library

Gladstone's Library is a residential library in Hawarden holding more than 250,000 volumes on the humanities and social sciences. The building houses reading rooms, study areas and overnight accommodations spread across several floors, allowing visitors to sleep among the shelves.

William Ewart Gladstone founded this institution in 1890 and invested 40,000 pounds in its creation. He personally transported 32,000 books to the new location using a wheelbarrow.

Writers and researchers stay here for days or weeks to work on manuscripts, surrounded by shelves of bound volumes in rooms with wooden paneling. The building itself was designed by architect John Douglas and displays Victorian Gothic features in red brick with tall windows and gabled rooflines.

Visitors can reserve rooms inside the building at Church Lane and access reading spaces and work areas during their stay. The institution offers places for stays lasting several days or longer.

This is the largest residential library in Great Britain, where readers can live inside the same building while they research. The institution combines overnight stays and work under one roof with direct access to the collections.

Location: Hawarden

Inception: 1890

Founders: William Ewart Gladstone

Architects: John Douglas

Elevation above the sea: 76 m

Address: Church Lane, Hawarden, Flintshire (Sir y Fflint) CH5 3DF Wales

Website: https://gladstoneslibrary.org

GPS coordinates: 53.18590,-3.02729

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:29