Pepys Library - Definition and Overview

The Pepys Library is housed on the first floor of its own building in the second court of Magdalene College, Cambridge.

The Pepys Library of Magdalene College, Cambridge is the personal library of Samuel Pepys bequeathed to the college following his death in 1703.

The library is housed in a room on the first floor of the Pepys Building inside the college. It contains 3000 books preserved in Pepys's own bookcases for them (perhaps those his journal attributes to Sympson the Joiner) and organised by size as he had catalogued them. Under the terms of the bequest, none of the books may be sold, and no additional ones may be added to the library.

A selection of the most interesting volumes are on display, including Pepys's diaries with their descriptions of the Great Fire of London and illustrated catalogues of the British Navy compiled by Pepys when he was Secretary to the Admiralty.

Visiting

The library is open to the public, but has very restricted opening times (typically between 2:30pm and 4:30pm during the quietest months of the academic year), but it is best to contact the college for current times.

External links

• Pepys library web site (http://www.magd.cam.ac.uk/pepys/contents.html)