Chetham's Library

Chetham’s Library in Manchester, England, is a historic library founded in 1653 and housed in a group of medieval and early modern buildings in the city centre. It is known for maintaining original 17th-century fittings and a continuous reading-room tradition.

The principal attractions are the long historic reading room, the original timber-framed spaces and the library’s early printed books and archives. The complex also contains courtyards and adjacent buildings occupied by Chetham’s School of Music, making the site a compact ensemble of library and educational functions.

The library was established through the bequest of Humphrey Chetham in the mid-17th century to provide a free library and school for the town. Its collections and buildings have been preserved and used for research and public visits since that time.

Chetham’s sits beside Manchester Cathedral and the town hall precinct in central Manchester, within walking distance of the main civic and cultural institutions of the city.

• Founding date and significance: Founded in 1653, it is often described as the oldest public library in the English-speaking world and still preserves parts of its original collection and book chambers.
• Visitor access: Access to the historic reading room and manuscripts is managed with limited opening hours and some restrictions on photography and handling of rare items.

What to See #

• Historic reading room: A timber-framed medieval hall and adjoining reading rooms retain original 17th- and 18th-century fittings and long reading tables that illustrate early library layout.
• Courtyard and archives: An inner courtyard and cloistered spaces between the library and the former manor house provide access to archival material and display cases.
• School and adjoining buildings: Adjacent buildings house Chetham's School of Music, which occupies parts of the same 15th- and 17th-century complex but operates separately from the library.