LINCOLN’S INN

Lincoln’s Inn has a reference library for members of the Inn and for student barristers. In existence since at least 1487, the Library nowadays occupies a building  created as part of the complex containing the Great Hall, designed by Philip Hardwick. It was formally opened in 1845 by Queen Victoria. Originally 80 feet long, 40 feet wide, and 44 feet high, it was almost doubled in length in 1872 by George Gilbert Scott. You have to look very closely to spot the join.

The Library has a collection of 150,000 books and over 1000 rare manuscripts. The latter incudes a copy of Piers Plowman, a Middle English narrative poem by William Langland, written in about 1375. This contains the first known reference to a tradition of Robin Hood Tales.