Rylands Library Manchester England, UK

The Rylands Library is stunning. After the death of multimillionaire John Rylands in 1888, his widow Enriqueta Rylands had this fabulous neo-Gothic building constructed in his honor.

The collection began with the 1892 purchase of the private library of the Second Earl Spencer. Today the library includes many rare books and prints.

The long name is the John Rylands Research Institute and Library and it's located in central Manchester. As you approach it, it looks like a Cathedral.

 Also among the holdings are medieval manuscripts, an original Gutenberg Bible, and the oldest known fragment of the Gospel of John (see fragment link)

The Rylands Library also houses a collection of art works in addition to the art in old prints and manuscripts. Visitors will see paintings, sculptures, ceramics and glass objects. According to artuk, artists represented include: Albrecht Dürer, Lucas Cranach the elder, Andrea Mantegna, Hans Holbein the younger, Rembrandt van Rijn, William Hogarth, William Blake, and William Morris.

The Rylands Library is now part of the University of Manchester.

Notes on the inside

Coffee shop

Book and gift shop

Toilets

Special exhibitions vary - see the website for details 

There was no charge to enter in 2021 

Please check out my website   www.suttong.com

   and see my books on   AMAZON       or  GOOGLE STORE

Resources

Rylands Website link

Google Map for the Rylands Library in Manchester

Historic notes

The Rylands Library took 10 years to build.

It opened 1 January 1900.

Enriqueta paid £210,000 in 1892 for the 2nd earl Spencer's collection.

Enriqueta paid £155,000 in 1901for the earl of Crawford's collection.

The Rylands Library is the third largest academic library in the UK.

Enriqueta Augustina Rylands was born in Havana, Cuba 31 May 1843. She lived in New York and Paris before coming to Manchester in the 1860s. She became a companion to Martha who was John Rylands' second wife. After Martha died, Enriqueta and John married 6 October 1875. Read more at this link.

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