There's the saying "Better late than never" but this definitely takes it to a whole new level. At the Sheffield Cathedral, a building that is 800 years old, now has finally received back its 300-year book loan from a patron. David Kessen has more over at The Star.
Now the book, The Faith and Practice of a Church of England Man, is set to go on display at the church, which was well known for its library until Geogian times.
The Reverend Canon Keith Farrow, vice dean and canon missioner at the cathedral, said when it was still a church it used to have a renowned library, believed to have been dispensed with during the Georgian period.
He said: “Where in the building it was, we’re not sure. We have a few books from that period from the early Georgian and onwards, so we think probably at the time of the first re-ordering of the church in the late Georgian period, the library was probably dispersed.
“This little book was first written in 1688 and this book is a 1704 reprint.
The Star
According to Kessen's reporting, the cathedral received the book in the mail with a note explaining its owner had passed away. They requested in their will that the book be returned. Inside, the book is dated 1709 along with the inscription ‘this book belongs to ye lending library at Sheffield church’.