The Exeter Book, B. Cathedral Quarter, Exeter

The Exeter Book, B. Cathedral Quarter, Exeter

Foundation volume of English literature

The Exeter Book 'can claim to be the foundation volume of English literature and one of the world's principal cultural artefacts'. It's kept in Exeter Cathedral Library. The book was on display in Exeter Cathedral in 2016. The information below was taken from that time.

 

The Exeter Book exhibition 2016

'The Exeter Book is a collection of poems in Old English. It was written down by a single scribe - no doubt a monk - in about 970. The book was one of 66 manuscripts presented to the Cathedral by Leofric, the first Bishop of Exeter, who died in 1072.' (The Exeter Book exhibition in Exeter Cathedral. Photographs captured August 2016.)

 

The Exeter Museum display within Exeter Cathedral 2016

'The Exeter Book was inscribed onto the UNESCO Memory of the World Register on 21 June 2016.

"The programme vision is that the world's documentary heritage belongs to all, should be fully preserved and protected for all and permanently accessible to all without hindrance. The UK Register recognises documentary heritage deemed by a panel of experts to be of outstanding significance to the UK."

The Exeter Book is an anthology of poetry in Old English, written down around 970CE, and is one of only four surviving major poetic manuscripts in that vernacular. Since it is the largest and probably the oldest of them, and since its contents are not found in any other manuscript, it can claim to be the foundation volume of English literature and one of the world's principal cultural artefacts. 

The book has been in Exeter since at least the 11th century and belonged to Exeter's first bishop, Leofric (d. 1072). It comprises some 40 poems od different lengths, types and ages, and nearly 100 poetic riddles (i.e. virtually all those which survive in Old English). The other poems include saints' lives, concepts, Advent lyrics, allegories, improving maxims and poems based on Biblical concepts, with a few more or less secular poems. The elegies in the Exeter Book, such as Wanderer and Seafarer, are among its best known compositions, and, like some of the others, achieve considerable distinction not only for their antiquity but for their quality as poetry. The Exeter Book has been and continues to be a source of inspiration, not least to scholars, musicians and other poets.' (Source: The Exeter Book display in Exeter Cathedral. Photographs captured July 2016.)