英国図書館（BL）、7世紀の貴重な写本である『聖カスバートの福音書』を購入
【以下、図書館に関する情報ポータルより転載】
2012年4月16日に、英国図書館（BL）が、7世紀に作製された貴重な写本である『聖カスバートの福音書』の購入を発表しました。写本購入にかかった金額900万ポンドは2011年7月以来の資金調達キャンペーンの結果達成されたもので、これは、BLの歴史上最長かつ最も成功したキャンペーンであったとのことです。『聖カスバートの福音書』は既にデジタル化され、同館のウェブサイト“Digitized Manuscripts”で公開されています。
The St Cuthbert Gospel
http://www.bl.uk/manuscripts/SetupViewerHandler.ashx?ref=add_ms_89000_fs001r
British Library acquires the St Cuthbert Gospel -- the earliest intact European book (British Library 2012/4/16付けのプレスリリース)
http://pressandpolicy.bl.uk/Press-Releases/British-Library-acquires-the-St-Cuthbert-Gospel-the-earliest-intact-European-book-58c.aspx
St Cuthbert Gospel Saved for the Nation （Medieval and Earlier Manuscripts Blog 2012/4/17付けの記事）
http://britishlibrary.typepad.co.uk/digitisedmanuscripts/2012/04/st-cuthbert-gospel-saved-for-the-nation.html
British Library acquires St Cuthbert Gospel (BBC 2012/4/17付けの記事)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-17732310
参考：
英国図書館（BL）、聖カスバートの福音書の購入のため総額900万ポンドの資金調達キャンペーンを実施
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/18697
British Library acquires St Cuthbert Gospe
【以下、BBCより転載】イギリスに残る最古の完全なヨーロッパの本とか書かれていますね。
The oldest intact European book - the St Cuthbert Gospel - is to remain in the UK after the British Library raised £9m to buy it.
The acquisition of the 7th Century copy of the Gospel of St John follows the library's largest fundraising campaign.
The National Heritage Memorial Fund gave £4.5m but charitable foundations, trusts and the public also contributed.
The book was sold by the Society of Jesus (British Province) to raise money for education and restoration work.
The manuscript, produced in the north-east of England, was buried with the early English Christian leader on Lindisfarne in about 698.
It was rediscovered at Durham Cathedral in 1104 after the coffin had been moved to escape Viking raids.
The library has acquired the Gospel in partnership with Durham University and Durham Cathedral, and it will be displayed equally at the library and in the North East.
It had been on loan to the British Library since 1979 and the institution was given first option to buy it.
Digitised version
"To look at this small and intensely beautiful treasure from the Anglo-Saxon period is to see it exactly as those who created it in the 7th Century would have seen it," said the library's chief executive, Dame Lynne Brindley.
"The exquisite binding, the pages, even the sewing structure survive intact, offering us a direct connection with our forebears 1,300 years ago.
"I would like to pay tribute to the donors who have made this acquisition possible.
"This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to secure the Gospel for the nation and we were both grateful and touched that so many people felt moved to support our campaign," she added.
The library's director of scholarship and collections, Caroline Brazier, said the £9m cost of the book was worth it.
"We don't know what an item like this would have actually gone for on the open market, but... we feel that we've negotiated a very good price."
The St Cuthbert Gospel will be on display in the Sir John Ritblat Treasures Gallery at the British Library's main building in London's St Pancras.
The first display in Durham is expected to be in July 2013 in Durham University's Palace Green Library on the Unesco world heritage site.
The Dean of Durham, the Very Reverend Michael Sadgrove, said the book's acquisition was "the best possible news".
"For the people of Durham and north-east England, this is a most treasured book," he said. "Buried with Cuthbert and retrieved from his coffin, it held a place of great honour in Durham Cathedral Priory."
実際、本の中を開いて動画で公開していますが、状態がすっごい良いです。
ラテン語ですが、そのまま読めちゃいますね。ラテン語知ってたら・・・たぶん？（私、知らないけど）
残念ながら、私好みの挿絵等は無いようですが、表紙の装丁とかはなかなかいい味出してます。
英国図書館で購入資金を集めるキャンペーンを行い、その資金で購入したそうです。
中身はデジタル化され、公開されています。
Digitised manuscript
