H/U-6-24

Shelfmark H/U-6-24

Somner, William. The Antiquities of Canterbury.
London: 1640.

Armorial bookplate on title-page verso: Gilbert Burnet.

Inscription on title page: ex Bib: Ph: Sydenham Baronettus.

Inscription on front pastedown: Henry Fielding.

Armorial bookplate on front pastedown, with motto 'Fari quae sentiat': Mr. Horatio Walpole

Inscription on front free endpaper: On the death of Henrietta Bell in 1968, clergy on the staff of Canterbury Cathedral were invited to collect a book from Bishop George Bell's library. I recovered this copy of Somner which was rebound in the Library under the direction of Dr William Urry. I now present this volume to Canterbury Cathedral Library. John M Shorrock Sacrist and Minor Canon (1967-1971).

Originally owned by Gilbert Burnet (1643-1715), Bishop of Salisbury, whose library was sold in 1716.

Next owned by Sir Philip Sydenham (ca.1676-1739) whose large library was mainly sold in the 1740s.

The novelist Henry Fielding (1707-1754) presumably bought the book from Sydenham's sale.

The book was next at Strawberry Hill House, the home of the author Horace Walpole (1717-1797).

Nothing further is known about the ownership of the book until it was in the possession of George Bell (1883-1958), Bishop of Chichester. On the death of his widow Henrietta Bell (1884–1968), it was acquired by the Rev. John M. Shorrock, the Cathedral's Sacrist, who had it bound in the Cathedral bindery and then donated it to the Chapter Library in about 1971.