In revisiting Marlborough, I surprised the librarian by asked about the seventeenth-century library which was concealed behind a locked door of one of the classrooms.  I could see that he was a bit sceptical.

I have managed to verify its existence.  It was the library of the vicars of St. Mary’s, Marlborough bequeathed to the town by the Rev. William White in 1678.  It must have been stored by the school and was looked after by Edwin Kempson who taught maths (before my time), had been a mountaineer, and was Mayor of Marlborough.

It was transferred on loan to the Bodleian in 1985 which is why its existence in the School has been forgotten.