History Matters

400 Years of the Bodleian Library

Celebrating the library and the University of Oxford’s greatest benefactor.

William Clennell | Published in History Today Volume 52 Issue 11 November 2002

Bodleian Library, Oxford: interior panoramic view. Line engraving by G. Hollis after J.C. Buckler.
Bodleian Library, Oxford: interior panoramic view. Line engraving by G. Hollis after J.C. Buckler. Wellcome Collection.

On 8 November 2002, the Bodleian Library in Oxford celebrated the 400th anniversary of its opening. Refounded in 1602 on the site of the earlier university library, it has since 1604 borne by royal decree the name of the remarkable man whose endowment remains the greatest benefaction ever received by the University of Oxford.

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