Take a seat in history

Ancient prayer book to return to refurbished Victorian library

Visit Lyme Park in Cheshire and you can curl up in a chair in the Victorian library and enjoy your favourite book. This book-worm’s dream is to celebrate the return of the sole surviving copy of an early prayer book, the ‘Sarum Missal’, to the mansion house. The Missal, used by priests for Mass and the orders of worship, was published in 1487 and was the first book to be printed in Paris, in colour.

The Missal was bought by the Legh family, of Lyme Park, soon after it was printed. After being hidden away for years it was displayed in the library for nearly a century until it was removed in 1940. After being acquired by the National Trust, the prayer book has now been returned to the library.

In honour of the occasion, the original 19th century decor of the library is being recreated by the National Trust using authentic replicas based on small remnants of the original wallpaper found in the room. The restoration work will continue into 2010 so visitors can not only marvel at the Missal, but admire the progress of the redecoration of this spectacular room.

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lymepark