LivCom: Private tour of the UK’s finest Library
The Wormsley Library houses the extraordinary collection begun by Sir Paul Getty — illuminated manuscripts, fine bindings, and landmarks of English printing.
Event Details
Date
Thursday, 15th October 2026
Location
The Wormsley Library, Wormsley Estate, Stokenchurch, Buckinghamshire HP14 3YE
Price
£65.00
Dress Code
Smart casual
Schedule
The treasures on show include rich and vivid medieval illuminated manuscripts dating from the 12th to the 15th centuries such as the first edition of Caxton’s printing of The Canterbury Tales, Anne Boleyn’s Psalter and the first folio of Shakespeare’s Comedies, Histories and Tragedies.
Among the printed rarities you will see are almanacs — modest annual booklets of calendars, tide tables, astronomical data, weather predictions and astrological forecasts. Unglamorous as they look, almanacs were commercial gold. From 1603 the Stationers’ Company held the lucrative Crown monopoly on their printing, and was able to distribute the profits among senior members for generations.
Almanacs sold in vast numbers to a largely rural, semi-literate public who bought little else in print, making them the bedrock of the Company’s finances throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. They funded our Company’s charitable works and cemented its power. Seeing them displayed is a reminder that English publishing was built not just on superb literature, but on the everyday almanac.
The Wormsley Library, set in the beautiful Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire, has kindly agreed to provide a private tour for up to 40 Stationers and guests, and our expert guide, Liveryman Robert Harding, will show us rare copies of almanacs that have survived through the centuries.
Other highlights in the library, subject to availability, include rich and vivid medieval illuminated manuscripts dating from the 12th to the 15th centuries such as the first edition of Caxton’s printing of The Canterbury Tales, Anne Boleyn’s Psalter and the first folio of Shakespeare’s Comedies, Histories and Tragedies.
The library is on the estate at Wormsley, Buckinghamshire. This is a library visit only, the house and grounds are not open to the public. There are only 30 places available for this exclusive tour, so please book early to avoid disappointment!
Wormsley is a five minute drive from Junction 5 on the M40 (parking will be available). The nearest railway station is High Wycombe with a regular service from London Marylebone and a taxi service available from the station. The tour starts at 11.30 am and lasts about 90 minutes. There is an excellent pub nearby which serves meals and bar snacks and in the past we’ve been able to make a block booking.
The visit costs £65 per person, which includes a donation to the Stationers’ Hall charity. To reserve your places (maximum two per person), email Dave Rosewell as soon as possible daverosewell@icloud.com More details about where to meet will follow after successful booking!
Lead Contact: Vanessa Kramer
Tel: 07762 330 872