| AdminHistory | Thomas Bray, Rector of Sheldon from 1690 to his death in 1730, is best known for his successful schemes to provide parochial libraries throughout England and Wales and in the mission field, notably in North America. His work developed into the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. In his Essay towards promoting all necessary and useful knowledge (1697) and Bibliotheca Parochialis (1707) he gives instructions for the setting up of parish libraries and details what they should contain.
Bray bequeathed his own library or the use of the Rector of Sheldon forever and it is this which is now deposited here. It contains about 370 items, a few of which were acquired after Dr Bray death, and some still bear the library distinctive ownership stamp. The books are predominately theological in subject matter, but varied in standpoint. |