A MEDIEVAL manuscript expert will be coming to Salisbury Cathedral to hold a talk about the recent return of the 13th century Sarum Master Bible to Salisbury.

The bible was met with much public interest when it first went on display in February after it was donated to the cathedral by Friends of the Nations’ Libraries following the success of a fundraising campaign earlier this year.

It will now go back on display at the cathedral from now until November 2.

The manuscript is a handwritten bible in Latin thought to have been written and illustrated in Salisbury in the 1240s or 1250s.

It is one of a small number of manuscripts that were illustrated by one of the greatest English artists of the time, who today is known to scholars as the Sarum Master, or Sarum Illuminator.

No details are known about the artist’s life, but there is considerable evidence that he or she was working in or around Salisbury.

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Picture: Finnbarr Webster

Now, a new talk by a fellow of Corpus Christi College in Cambridge, Christopher de Hamel, will reveal what is known about the bible and its creation.

The talk is taking place on October 20 and tickets can be purchased on the cathedral website. The event is free of charge, but booking a ticket is required due to limited capacity.

De Hamel was responsible for all sales of medieval manuscripts at Sotheby’s, 1975-2000, and librarian of the Parker Library in Cambridge, 2000-2016. His very many books include Meetings with Remarkable Manuscripts (2016), which won the Wolfson Prize for History.

Picture: Finnbarr Webster

For anyone interested in learning more about medieval scribes, there will be family workshops running on October 27 and 29 from 9.30am to 12.30am included with admission.

Visitors of all ages will be able to try their hand at calligraphy with a quill to create an illuminated letter to take home.

Salisbury Cathedral said it was grateful to the Friends of the Nations’ Libraries for the generous gift of the Sarum Master Bible, and for their support of associated events such as this talk.