Collection items

15th-century Wycliffite Bible

Manuscript, Illuminated manuscript Created date: Early 15th century

A manuscript containing the later version of the Middle English translation of the Bible produced by followers of the re...

Alphonso Psalter

Manuscript, Illuminated manuscript, Parchment Codex Created date: c. 1284–1316

This manuscript was begun for Prince Alphonso (b. 1273, d. 1284), son of Edward I and Eleanor of Castile, who was betrot...

Anne Boleyn’s Book of Hours

Manuscript, Illuminated manuscript, Manuscript annotation Created date: c. 1500

An opulent object, with nearly fifty illustrations, this Book of Hours once belonged to Anne Boleyn (d. 1536), King Henr...

Armenian Gospel book

Manuscript, Illuminated manuscript Created date: 1608

A lavish copy of the Gospels in Armenian, made in the Persian capital of Isfahan, in 1608. When did Christianity spread ...

Barcelona Haggadah

Manuscript, Illuminated manuscript, Illumination Created date: 14th Century

A highly illuminated medieval Spanish Hagadah. What is the Hagadah? The Hagadah (plural Hagadot), which literally mean...

Collectanea satis copiosa

Illuminated manuscript Created date: 2nd quarter of the 16th century

For about two years, a team of scholars and royal agents gathered together and studied manuscripts that would provide ev...

Coloured illustrations of Buddhist heavens and hel...

Manuscript, Illuminated manuscript, Image Created date: 19th century

A folding book manuscript in 59 folds made in Upper Burma. It has tooled leather covers with paper labels dated Manadala...

Coronation of Henry VIII with notes by Henry

Illuminated manuscript

On acceding to the throne, monarchs were crowned in a magnificent and elaborate ceremony in which the new king swore to ...

Cosmological diagram

Manuscript, Image, Illuminated manuscript Created date: c. 1830

This is one of a set of delicate drawings depicting the world, the heavens and the hells of Buddhist cosomolgy. Here, va...

Design for Henrician castle on the Kent coast

Illuminated manuscript

This fortification plan or ‘plat’ is a survivor of the many that were stuffed into drawers in Henry’s office in Holbein ...

Double canon dedicated to Henry VIII

Illuminated manuscript

This grand manuscript was prepared for Henry in 1516 by a successful Flemish merchant

Duke of Sussex's Catalan Bible

Manuscript, Illuminated manuscript Created date: 1350–1374

The messianic imagery found in these splendid Hebrew Bibles is unique. Crystallised in Spain in the 13th century and app...

Duke of Sussex's Italian Pentateuch

Manuscript, Illuminated manuscript Created date: c. 1441–1467

A 15th-century Pentateuch featuring illuminated letters, which are rare in Hebrew manuscripts. What is the Pentateuch? ...

French 15th-century Book of Hours

Manuscript, Illuminated manuscript Created date: 1400–1410

A French Book of Hours, produced in Paris in the early 15th century. Books of hours were the most popular books for la...

Great Bible

Manuscript, Illuminated manuscript Created date: 1st quarter of the 15th century

With pages measuring over half a metre (two feet) tall, this volume is the largest manuscript Bible within the British L...