A Gentleman's Library
It was common for a learned gentleman to amass a private library consisting of thousands of volumes in the 16th and 17th centuries. Works on theology would have a dominant presence in these personal collections, but texts on history, literature, classics and the natural world would also be prevalent. Anyone engaging in society would accumulate material not only reflecting their professional life, but also the contemporary issues and discussions of the time. Although women were not excluded from education, men were more likely employed in professional fields, such as law, medicine and theology, which required access to books. This exhibition displays some of Middle Temple Library’s rare books, including those donated from such private collections, visualising what a gentleman’s bookshelf looked like in these earlier centuries. The exhibition has been divided into subjects.
An online version of the exhibition can be viewed here
Previous Exhibitions
Mapping the Early Modern Inns of Court
This exhibition explores a range of pre-1700 books from the Library, and items from the Inn’s Archive, highlighting topics such as recreation, literary culture at the Inns, religion and preaching, learning the law and verbal skills, travel and exploration endeavours... View Online.
The Evolution of the Law Report
An exhibition exploring how this important document has evolved over the centuries to arrive at its current form. From Plea Rolls to Year Books, manuscripts to nominates, to digitisation and beyond...View online
Middle Temple Hall: 1573-2023
Last year, the Inn celebrated 450 years since the completion of Middle Temple Hall. This exhibition told the story of the Hall, from its construction in the reign of Elizabeth I to the present day, via renovations and reinventions, blazes and bombing raids.
Islam, Astronomy & Arabic Print
An exhibition exploring astronomical manuscripts from the Medieval and Renaissance periods, European translations of the Quran, verses from the Quran relating to astronomy and Renaissance books...View online
Squalour & Sanitation
An exhibition exploring the impact of epidemics on public health law. From plagues to the present, this display looks at the way public officials manage the spread of disease, as they try to understand the causes of illness...View online
Botany at Middle Temple
Plants provide the foundation for nearly all life on earth. The chloroplasts in green plants provide some 70% of our breathable oxygen and sit at the centre of countless ecosystems. By the same token, plants are essential to human life and...View online
Watchmen, Charlies, Peelers
The story of policing in London is a mutable and ever-changing one. The earliest recorded effort to establish a formal system of policing can be traced back to the reign of King Edward I in his statute of 1285...View online
Women in Law
2019 marked the 100th anniversary of the passing of the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act of 1919. The passing of this Act allowed women to become practising solicitors and barristers in an official capacity...View online