St John’s Oldest Book: The Brittany Gospels (MS 194)
by Petra Hofmann, College Librarian
St John’s oldest book is an inconspicuous Gospel codex, a little smaller than a standard Penguin paperback. The book was produced in the late 9th/ early 10th-century, probably in Brittany but some scholars have suggested England, too. During the Middle Ages further elements (illustrations, prayers, and a charter) were added to the Gospels. The volume offers tantalising glimpses about its past but also leaves us wondering.
This long blog post is divided into the following sections: