The earliest items in the School's library are housed in the
fine oak almery which stands in the Library Corridor, adjacent to
the Senior Library. As a carved inscription running around it
attests, this book case was donated to the School in 1694, the gift
of Mr James Leaver Citison of London. It contains fifty-six books,
the great majority of which retain the chains that were bought for
them in 1735 (the School preserves the record of the Governors'
decision to authorise this expenditure). The boys are interested in
this unusual feature of their school and they complete a small
project on it as part of their work in Year 7.
The book of most interest is the three-volume copy of the Acts
and Monuments by John Foxe. Commonly (but misleadingly) known as
Foxe's "Book of martyrs", the book contains illustrations of people
condemned to death during the reign of Queen Mary Tudor. Graphic
and disturbing, the hypnotic power of these prints is as strong
today as in the sixteenth century. An exhibition of Foxe's work,
entitled "John Foxe and Prophetic History", is staged from time to
time to teach the boys more about this fascinating but unhappy
period. The School's copy of the book (also the gift of James
Lever) was printed in 1684, the ninth edition of the work.
Alongside the Chained Library, on permanent display are the two
other precious relics of the School's past: the Headmaster's chair
and the School Chest.