Our Sponsor a Book initiative aims to support the ongoing conservation needs of our special collections. Conservation work safeguards the historical, cultural, and legal heritage these contain, whilst also fostering user engagement in an often-overlooked area of our collections.
By becoming a sponsor, you will directly contribute to the preservation of the diverse, and sometimes unique items that make up the Inner Temple Library special collections. Your support means that they can be enjoyed and consulted by future generations of members and scholars for centuries to come.
Book conservation will be carried out by accredited off-site conservators and costs can range from a few hundred pounds for a simple clean and repair, up to £2,000 or more for those items in much poorer condition. As a sponsor, you can donate an amount of your choosing that will contribute directly to ongoing book conservation works.
Donate now
Alternatively, if you wish to sponsor the full cost of conservation for a specific item please discuss the options with the Librarian.
If you are interested in learning more please contact Rob Hodgson, Librarian and Keeper of Manuscripts at rhodgson@innertemple.org.uk
Example of a Recently Sponsored Item
Misc. MS. 33, ‘Fitzherbert’s Abridgment’, 15th Century
Background: This manuscript has been known locally, and erroneously, as ‘Fitzherbert’s Digest’ due to an old pencil inscription on the fly-leaf verso, a misnomer subsequently reinforced with the publication of the printed catalogue of manuscripts.
It is actually an ‘abridgment’, (or more correctly, index) of statutes, arranged alphabetically by subject from ‘Administrators’ to ‘Vagabond’. A relatively late example of a form that would soon be superseded by the arrival of printed versions.
The first letters of the first word in each new alphabetical section are presented within large blue, red, yellow, and gold illuminated capital letters, and are encased within colourful, illuminated illustrations, with leaves and foliage, that span the perimeter of the folio (except the gutter). There are also blue and red marks that indicate the beginning of new paragraphs, as well as cryptic marginal annotations marking individual cases that are standard within early manuscript and printed abridgements.
There are annotations on several folios. These are in a black ink and are in a secretary hand characteristic of the mid to late sixteenth century and the seventeenth century. A few folios bear pencil illustrations of male figures, possibly in legal dress. Neither the annotations nor drawings are attributable.
Provenance: Pasted onto the inside front cover is the bookplate of Henry Godfrey Faussett of Heppington, near Canterbury Kent (1749-1825). The following is mere conjecture but it may be that Henry Godfrey inherited it from his father, Rev. Bryan Faussett (1720-1776), who was a renowned antiquary. The Inn’s membership records list two other members of the Faussett family: John Toke Godfrey Faussett (adm. 1878) and Edward Philip Godfrey Faussett (adm. 1887). It may be that the book arrived in the Library collection through one of these individuals, such as through a bequest, although this cannot be confirmed. There is a Library acquisition stamp dated May 1935 on a rear endpaper.
The volume has recently undergone conservation treatment thanks to a generous donation. After cleaning and repair the pages were digitised prior to resewing.
More details about the conservation work undertaken on this item can be found in this PDF with images on this slideshow.
