RCB Library Notes27 Aug 10

RCB Librarian to give tour of manuscripts in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin

As part of the Heritage Week 2010 programme in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, the Librarian & Archivist in the RCB Library, Dr Raymond Refaussé, gave a lunchtime tour of the manuscripts which are on exhibition in the Treasury in the cathedral’s medieval crypt.

Currently there are three manuscripts on exhibition.

The 14th century Liber Niger (Black Book), named for the colour of its binding, is an English manuscript which was borough to Christ Church by Henry la Warre, an Augustinian canon from Bristol who was appointed Prior of Holy Trinity in 1300-1. When in Dublin the margins and blank leaves of the manuscript were filled with memoranda relating to the rights, privileges and property of the priory which would have been essential administrative information for the new prior. The Liber Niger is the source of the belief, now generally accepted by historians, that Christ Church was founded by the Hiberno-Norse king, Sitric, and the Irish bishop, Dunan.

Similarly the Liber Albus (White Book) brings together copies of documents relating to possessions and privileges a knowledge of which would have been essential for the administration of the priory. It is believed to have been compiled under the direction of the sub-prior, Thomas Fich, who dies in 1518.

The third manuscript on exhibition is the first chapter act book which, uniquely in an Irish cathedral context, contains information from the Marian period.

For visitor information on Christ Church Cathedral see www.ccbdub.ie.