A rare 13th-century Bible could return to its ancestral home, Salisbury Cathedral, more than 700 years after it was written.

It is one of six manuscripts attributed to Master Sarum, one of the greatest artists of the medieval period who illuminated vellum pages from a workshop of Salisbury.

The English manuscript artist was known for his work on religious manuscripts, particularly the Sarum Missal – used for cathedral liturgical practices, influencing English Christianity before the Reformation.

At the time, no other city apart from London and Oxford supported this large-scale book production, with Salisbury becoming renowned as an academic and cultural center.

Today Friends of Nations Libraries (FNL), which protects the UK’s written and printed history, is campaigning to raise £90,000 within 90 days to return the Bible to its ancestral home. It is currently in the hands of a private collector.

Geordie Greig, president of the FNL, said: “I am determined that this campaign by the Friends of the Nations Libraries to return a literary treasure to an ancient cathedral library 700 years after it was written by one of the rare known medieval artists is crowned with success. .

“To achieve this, we are asking the public and donors to help us save the Sarum Salisbury Master’s Bible, a treasure of infinite historical and bibliographical value.”

Christopher de Hamel, expert in medieval manuscripts, said: “Master Sarum was one of the first manuscript artists in England of whom we have recognizable work.

He added that the thriving book trade in Salisbury during the medieval period meant that its published manuscripts were available for purchase, leading to local use of Sarum becoming the norm for all of southern Salisbury. England until the Reformation period.

The artist is known for his complex and highly stylized illustrations, characteristic of Gothic art. His work includes detailed images of saints, biblical scenes and illuminated initials, with vibrant colors, flowing lines and elaborate gold leaf.

Salisbury Cathedral is visited by around 250,000 people each year and has the highest spire in the country, standing at 123 meters.

It also houses a library founded in 1445, which has an extensive collection of manuscripts dating back to the 9th century and is one of the first purpose-built library rooms in England.

Among his most prized possessions is one of four remaining copies of the Magna Carta of 1215 and the world’s oldest mechanical clock.

The Very Reverend Nicholas Papadopulos, Dean of Salisbury, said: “We are immensely grateful to Friends of the Nations Libraries for their invaluable support in the campaign to bring the Sarum Bible back to Salisbury after almost 800 years.

“Master Sarum’s artistry speaks to a century-long tradition of creativity in Salisbury. We look forward to being able to share this treasure with visitors to the cathedral library in the future.

You can donate here: