A RARE medieval Bible will be on display to the public for the first time in centuries later this month.

The Sarum Master Bible is an early example of a portable illustrated manuscript written on parchment and created by the Sarum master in Salisbury sometime between 1240 and 1250.

Described by Salisbury Cathedral as one of the greatest artists of his time, the Sarum master one of the first professional book illuminators in England and appears to have led a large workshop..

The manuscript, which is just 17cm high, returned to Salisbury some 700 years later thanks to a successful fundraising campaign by Friends of the Nations’ Libraries, who purchased it for £90,000 via the fine arts company Sotheby’s, before donating it to the cathedral.

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The Bible is one of only six manuscripts definitively attributed to the Sarum Master.

It will be on display at Salisbury Cathedral from February 28 to March 20.

A cathedral spokesperson says it is of exceptional artistic value with great significance to Salisbury.

“At the time the Sarum Master Bible was created, there was much artistic activity in Salisbury,” they said.

“The cathedral was under construction and was in the process of being decorated with wall-painting, ceiling-painting, sculpture and stained glass.

“It is likely that the different artists working in the city drew inspiration from and influenced each other.

“Each book of the Sarum Master Bible begins with an intricate decorated initial. Some are ornamental; others are historiated (that is, containing human figures), illustrating scenes and characters from the Bible and other subjects.

“The initials use a rich colour palette, including a distinctive green. In keeping with the size of the volume, these initials are less than 2.5cm high.”

The cathedral plans to fully digitise the Bible and offer study days to look more closely at its production and history.

Details of visiting Salisbury Cathedral and online tickets can be found at www.salisburycathedral.org.uk

Those living in postcodes SP1-SP5 have free visitor access, providing they provide proof of address.