Windows to Wroxton’s History: The Library
with Andrew Rose
My first sight of the library was from outside looking in. It was a gloriously sunny day, and I was visiting Wroxton with my parents. None of us knew the Abbey was here or that it was the home of Wroxton College. We’d more or less stumbled across the College on a walk through the village. With my face pressed up against the window, I could see the tables, the desks, and the endless rows of books. I’d been looking for a new job and peering in through the window, I imagined that working in this library would be the perfect job for me. My father suggested I send my CV in on spec. I batted the idea away. They’d have someone in place already. But after he suggested it for a second time, I thought there’d be no harm in it.
I was appointed in the January of 2012 and the rest as they say is history.
There are five beautiful chandeliers hanging in five of the six libraries, donations from alumnus, Katy Koch Campbell (Spring 1982).
Looking in from the outside 14 years ago, I could only imagine how wonderful it would be to work as the College Librarian. 14 years later I can confirm that it is indeed a wonderful role and a privilege to be the custodian of these great libraries.
A Peek Inside The Guilford Library
The Guilford Library is named after members of the North family who held the hereditary title Baron, later Earl of Guilford. Guildford is a town in Surrey. The Guilford Library houses our poetry, theatre, literature and art collections. The Guilford Library has never been anything other than a library. It is also the most recent of our library rooms, having been built in 1859 (if you consider 1859 recent). There’s a secret ‘jib’ door in the corner of the room disguised as shelves of books. The door leads straight outside onto the back lawn. Looking up you can see letters of the alphabet. They run round the room above the top shelves in alphabetical order. There should be a S over the secret door but instead there’s an X. X for exit.
A picture of The Guilford Library.