Special Collections: Syon Abbey Collection

The catalogue of the Syon Abbey LIibrary was created at Syon Abbey between 1989-1990 by Marion Glasscoe and Claire Johnson during preparations for a change of premises. During this period, the pre-1850 items forming part of the library were transferred to the University of Exeter Library (now held in Special Collections): these books were denoted the classmark A. The remaining catalogue and associated papers in this collection were donated to the University Library in 2004.

This collection includes a paper catalogue of the library of Syon Abbey (14 softbound volumes of card-index entries and 19 boxes of the original loose index slips; papers relating to the cataloguing process; and papers relating to readership at Syon Abbey.

This collection comprises a small number of papers relating to Syon Abbey that were donated to the University by Marion Glasscoe, who catalogued and co-ordinated the transfer of the Syon Abbey Library Collection to Exeter University Library, 1989-1990.

A letter from 'Catherine Witham de Sta. Anna', sent from 'Lisbon Sion house' to her 'Dear Mama' and dated 17 April 1763. It includes references to friends and family, cleaning her cell, worship, her decision to become a nun, praying for peace, and her duties as a 'hebdomadarium' [hebdomadary].

Small breviary, published by Coloniae Agrippinae: sumptibus Balthazaris ab Egmond & Sociorum in 1680. It includes manuscript inscriptions by Sister Catherine 'Kitty' Witham on the inside front cover and the inside back cover dated 1765, and indicating that this was 'her book'. Some marks in the margins of the text may also have been made by Sister Kitty. The inside front cover also includes an inscription by Sister Margaret Mary O.S.B. dated 1861, which suggests that this book had left Syon Abbey and had been transferred to a Benedictine community (possibly East Bergholt Abbey) in the UK by 1861 at the latest.