The library at Worcester Cathedral

Scott and I had some errands to do today and so we did not go on the excursion to the Cotswolds.  We did, however fit in two excellent experiences: lunch with Dr. Jeffrey Campbell at a riverside cafe, and then a tour of the library at Worcester Cathedral.  We had to walk up a 39-step spiral staircase to get to the library---the stair-case is found near that amazing baptismal font in the Cathedral.  We were shown manuscripts that dated from the 8th century!  We held original scores of music written by Thomas Tomkins, the Renaissance composer who was also organist at Worcester Cathedral. We saw some of the earliest extant music scores that exist in England.  The librarian explained the different styles of printing (by hand) that existed through the centuries of monastic scribing.  He told us that the styles changed over time, and also, that different monastic communities created their own styles.  In many books, there were doodles or cartoons in the margins: of people and animals, including an elephant that had pig-like feet.   The "recipe" for the ink used by the monks was also on display---pomegranate juice and charred wood were two of the ingredients.   The only other time I had seen such works was at the Huntington Museum in Pasadena, California, as a teenager.  At any rate, it was a thrilling experience to actually be up close and to touch these precious, and ancient texts.

Sorry, no pictures were allowed, so all I can do is write about these things.