You can click on the photo for a larger version. Administrative history and contents Henry VI's grand plan for the layout and buildings of his new College envisaged a Muniment Tower, originally on four stories, for the keeping of records. The Founder's architectural designs went unfulfilled, however, and for several centuries the archives occupied five of the Chapel's southern side chapels. It is only since the middle of this century that they have enjoyed purpose-built accommodation and since 1993 that they have been housed in the Library proper. An unavoidable consequence of shifting exile has been comparative ignorance of the contents of the College Archives among the scholarly community and their under-use as a research tool.
Efforts are now underway to reverse that situation.
The Librarian and Archivist wrote about the moves afoot to uncover the College's written memory in Summer 1998. A full catalogue is in preparation but at present this is only available online in the form of headings giving an indication of the broad categories of surviving documents. Please contact the Archivist for further information.