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St Deiniols FAQs
St Deiniols FAQs
When was St Deiniol’s Library founded?
Gladstone bought the land in 1889 and the Library opened on February 2nd 1894.
Who founded it?
William Ewart Gladstone (1809 – 1898), four times Prime Minister and a Member of Parliament for sixty-two years. He is arguably Britain’s greatest statesman.
Why was it founded?
Gladstone founded it as a residential library “for the pursuit of divine learning” which encompassed not just Christian thought but “the various branches of human knowledge, especially history and philosophy”.
Why do you claim it is unique?
It is unique in being the only Prime Ministerial Library in the British Isles and in being a residential Library.
When did it become the National Memorial to Gladstone?
After Gladstone’s death in 1898, the present building was opened as the National Memorial to Gladstone on October 14th 1902 by Earl Spencer.
Who was the architect?
John Douglas was one of the most renowned provincial architects of his day and St Deiniol's Library was the most important commission of his career. In 1994, the Library was awarded Grade 1 listing for the national importance of its historical associations with Gladstone. See wikipedia article on John Douglas.
What books are in the collection?
Gladstone’s original donation of 32,000 books has grown into the present collection of 250,000 printed items. St Deiniol’s is recognised as one of the world’s most important research libraries for theology and religious studies. The collection is kept up-to-date and grows each year. It also has an exceptional collection of nineteenth-century material – covering all Arts and Humanities subjects - many of which were owned by Gladstone and include his pencilled annotations. The catalogue is searchable on-line
How many bedrooms?
Twenty-eight comfortable bedrooms, many with en-suite facilities and wireless internet access.
What is St Deiniol’s Library?
St Deiniol's Library is a registered UK charity (Registered Charity No. 701399). In 1989, it became a limited company with the Board of Trustees being appointed as Directors of the Company. It is registered in England and Wales as a Company Limited by Guarantee No. 236642.
Who runs St Deiniol's Library?
The Warden, who is always an Anglican priest, is responsible for the day-to-day running of St Deiniol's Library. The work of St Deiniol's is divided into three areas – Library, Hotel and Development – each area is run by a senior member of staff. There are a further twenty members of staff who are in turn supported by a loyal band of local volunteers. Overall responsibility for St Deiniol’s is vested in a Board of Trustees (not less than five and not more than fifteen) who appoint a Management Committee (four Trustees and the Warden).
Who funds St Deiniol’s Library?
St Deiniol’s Library is an independent institution which receives no regular funding from any source. It is reliant on its users and supporters and on its own fundraising efforts. St Deiniol's has a proven track record in successful fundraising and has, over the last ten years, raised over £2.5 million for essential repair and development work to extend and improve the Library’s services and facilities.
Who can use St Deiniol's Library?
Anyone: academics, theologians, historians, bibliophiles, writers, clergy, laity, students, schoolchildren, tourists… Our rates are affordable with special discounts for students and clergy. Scholarships and bursaries are also available
Why would I go to St Deiniol's Library?
Apart from using the library to read or research, you might want to attend one of our short courses on religious or nineteenth century subjects. You might just want to soak up the creative atmosphere – over 170 books have been written or researched here since 2000. On the other hand, it is an excellent base for visiting Welsh and English tourist sites.
What facilities, apart from the Library, does St Deiniol’s have?
There is a new chapel with daily services, two conference rooms and an excellent restaurant and coffee shop serving homemade and locally sourced food.
Where is it and how do I get there?
St Deiniol's Library is in the Welsh village of Hawarden, six miles from the Roman city of Chester. It is a short drive from Snowdonia, the mountains, castles and seaside of North Wales while the cities of Manchester and Liverpool with their international airports are just forty-five minutes away. Hawarden is well served by the UK’s rail and motorway networks with direct trains from London to Chester and easy access to the M53 and M56. Directions map to St Deiniol's
What's next?
Why not stay overnight or plan a short retreat for some personal study time. You'll find the atmosphere here peaceful and friendly, and of course there's the library itself with over 250,000 texts that cover a wide range of subjects, specialising in our core subject areas of Theology and Victorian Studies.
View details of our accommodation at St Deiniol's
Go to booking enquiries
Tel: 01244 532350
Email: enquiries@st-deiniols.org
