Welsh university to host special open day showcasing rare medieval manuscripts

Nation.Cymru staff

A Welsh university is set to host a special open day, offering visitors the opportunity to discover some of the remarkable medieval manuscripts held in their archives.

The University of Wales Trinity Saint David will host the event  on Wednesday, 18 November, it will feature two separate sessions of a talk by former UWTSD Special Collections Librarian Ruth Gooding.

Beginning at 10am and repeated at 2pm, the talk will explore some of the remarkable medieval manuscripts held in the University’s Special Collections.

The talk will highlight a number of significant items, including two 15th-century Books of Hours, a 13th-century copy of the Latin Bible and the intriguing Monk’s Blood Manuscript.

Among the manuscripts to be discussed is a 1279 copy of the Latin Bible, which previously belonged to Bishop Thomas Burgess.

The event will also shine a spotlight on the library’s oldest item, the famous Monk’s Blood Manuscript, dating from around 1200. Legend has it that the manuscript bears the blood of monks from Bangor-is-y-coed, although this story is, in fact, a historical myth.

The manuscript is a fragment of Peter of Capua’s Alphabetum in artem sermocinandi and represents one of the earliest experiments in alphabetisation.

Comprising a collection of biblical extracts, it was created to help preachers locate relevant passages for their sermons. Its innovative arrangement of material in alphabetical order makes it an early ancestor of the dictionaries and encyclopaedias we use today.

The manuscript’s unusual stains have long contributed to its reputation. In his 1870 book Wild Wales, travel writer George Borrow described the volume as bearing marks of blood from the massacre of the monks of Bangor-is-y-coed by the Saxons.

However, the story is chronologically impossible. The massacre is believed to have taken place in the early seventh century, while the manuscript dates from the late 12th century at the earliest. Although the distinctive stains resemble blood, they could equally be wine!

Greatest treasures

Ruth Gooding said:“There are few human-made things more beautiful than medieval manuscripts. I’m delighted to be able to tell the stories of some of UWTSD’s greatest treasures.”

Following the talk, attendees will have the opportunity to view the manuscripts.

Nicky Hammond, UWTSD’s Special Collections Archivist, added: “We are delighted to welcome Ruth back to the library. She spent many years researching and caring for the Special Collections, and her knowledge of its medieval manuscripts is extensive. It will be a fascinating and illuminating talk.”