Visiting Chetham’s Library: the Devil, Karl Marx, and You
Chetham’s Library, the oldest public library in England, is one of the most fascinating destinations in Manchester.
But this isn’t just any stuff old library. It’s been home to notorious 16th century sorcerers, political innovators, ghosts, and even the Devil Himself, if stories are to be believed.
Walking into Chetham’s library is like walking to Hogwarts. And it’s GORGEOUS.
On a tour of Chetham’s Library, you’ll not only get to see (and smell, IYKYK) some beautiful, antique books housed in an ancient, ornate, and atmospheric library room. You’ll also get to take in history, to stand in the hoofprints of the devil (okay, you can’t stand in them, but you CAN see one, if you believe in that sort of thing), and sit in the seatprints of the fathers of communism.
Visiting Chetham’s Library, you can walk the halls haunted by a ghost (a ghost that shares a name with a Hogwarts ghost). And you can browse the shelves for such historic texts as a first edition Homer, in Greek.
Chetham’s Library is an absolute must-visit sight in Manchester, especially (but not exclusively) for book lovers. No literary tour of Manchester is complete without a stop here. Here’s a quick look at some of Chetham Library’s fascinating history that you can become a part of on a guided tour.
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Whenever possible, I recommend buying books at local bookshops or through Bookshop.org, because shopping there puts the profits right into the hands of indie bookstores all over the country.
A flyby history of Chetham’s Library
Chetham’s Library is the oldest public library in England and has been continuously operating for more than 350 years. To put that in context, this library had already been lending books for more than a hundred years before the US even became a country.
It was established under the bequeathment of Humphrey Chetham, who left money in his will to establish a boys’ boarding school and a public library. It was important to him that it was indeed a public library, not an exclusive, members-only establishment (I’m looking at you, Portico Library).
In his will, Chetham said under no uncertain terms that the library was to “require nothing of any man that cometh into the library.” (Women? Oh what do women need to do with books and learning, eh?)
Chetham’s dream was fulfilled in 1653 with the opening of Chetham’s Library. It was established in an already historic building, a medieval sandstone structure that had been housing priests since 1421. Today, Chetham’s Library is housed inside Chetham’s School, which is now the UK’s largest specialist music school.
Since its opening more than 350 years ago, this oldest library in England has seen a number of fascinating visitors, including a famous sorcerer, Karl Marx, and, according to legend, The Devil Himself.
Let’s take a closer look at these intriguing points of Chetham’s Library history and talk about what you as a visitor can see there.
John Dee Summons the Devil to Chetham’s Library
John Dee is one of the most interesting character studies in the history of England. Born in 1527, he spent his life pushing the bounds of knowledge not only beyond our world but beyond our dimension. A mathematician, astronomer, alchemist, and occult philosopher, Dee’s insatiable curiosity led him to explore the secrets of the cosmos, mathematical philosophy, and alchemical transformations.
That’s right, he was a real-life Nicholas Flamel. He even claimed to communicate with angels via a crystal ball, encounters he documented in his Enochian manuscripts. Talk about a Renaissance man!
Rather unsurprisingly, given the variety and arcane nature of his studies, John Dee’s career followed an unconventional path. At the height of his powers and reputation, he got a job as Queen Elizabeth’s “conjurer,” or “Royal Advisor in Mystic Secrets.” (I wonder if King Charles has one on staff; sounds useful).
For a time, Dee was among the Queen’s most trusted advisors and signed his top secret letters to her, 007 (centuries before Ian Fleming used this in his James Bond series).
John Dee walked a fine line, though, between the religious and the Occult, and eventually his reputation and political favor ran out. He was imprisoned for heresy in 1555. Upon his release, reputation in tatters, Dee was sent to take on the post of Warden of Chetham’s College (a post he was not thrilled with).
Finally, we get to the point in which John Dee’s intriguing history collides with that of Chetham’s Library. While Warden at Chetham’s, the story goes that John Dee conducted an Occult ceremony to summon The Devil Himself and ask his advice. To this day, visitors to Chetham’s can see a desk from Dee’s time that supposedly carries the hoofprint of Satan.
Chetham’s Library also still owns 5 books that belonged to John Dee, sometimes featured and on display for visitors.
In case you’re wondering what happened to Dee after his time at Chetham’s, he died in London, impoverished and disgraced, but maybe he’d say it was all worth it if he knew that centuries later, his life would be made into an Opera.
Marx and Engels at Chetham’s Library
Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels were some of the most influential political thinkers of 19th century Europe. Their intellectual partnership resulted in “The Communist Manifesto” and “Das Kapital,” laying the foundation for the communist and socialist movements worldwide.
While all this may already be common knowledge for you, what you may not realize is that this political duo did much of their political study right here inside Chetham’s Library. While both were German, they spent a lot of time in Manchester.
Engels lived in Manchester for 20 years, and Marx visited him there multiple times. As Manchester was the first industrial city in the world, it was the ideal place to study the effects of industrial capitalism firsthand.
During these visits to Manchester, the pair would study political philosophy and economy in Chetham’s library, at a little table in an alcove underneath a stained glass window. The books that Marx and Engels studied are still owned by Chetham’s Library, and visitors can also see the exact table and alcove where they worked.
Chetham’s Library Harry Potter Connections
When you see the beautiful and iconic Chetham’s Library, it’s hard not to wonder if it has any connection to Harry Potter. The answer? Yes and no.
This video by the Manchester Evening News claims that the producers of the Harry Potter films did indeed visit Chetham’s Library — or more specifically, the medieval hall below it — to see if they could film there, but ultimately it didn’t make the cut as a Harry Potter filming location.
However, there’s definitely a Hogwarts-esque feel to Chetham’s Library, right down to the ancient, leather-bound books that are chained to the shelves and the books enclosed behind metal gates (Restricted Section, anyone?). Also, there are many tales of Chetham’s being haunted by a ghost known as the Grey Lady, which Harry Potter lovers will instantly recognize as the name of the Ravenclaw house ghost.
So, sorry to disappoint, but the Chetham’s Library Harry Potter connections are likely just coincidental. All the same, Potter lovers will enjoy a tour of Chetham’s Library, much as they will doubtless enjoy visiting Livreria Lello in Porto even if it didn’t really inspire the Hogwarts library.
And if you’re looking for Harry Potter Manchester sites, make sure you also visit the John Rylands Library. This free Manchester library has the most Hogwarts feel of any place I’ve ever been!
Related: Harry Potter lover? Don’t miss these Harry Potter sights in New York City or this themed afternoon tea in London.
Chetham’s Library Tours
Chetham’s Library is still an operational public library, but not in the traditional sense. It is a center for study and research, not a lending library. Members of the public can submit a request to study specific library materials, but most will just want to visit the library and take in the historic atmosphere.
Visits to Chetham’s Library are only by guided tour, because it’s still housed inside an operational music school. Actually, on my guided tour, another person on the tour had attended the school as a child and boarded there! This was her first visit back since she was a young girl, and she had some really interesting stories about the building.
Chetham’s Library tours take approximately one hour and will be led by a volunteer tour guide. The majority of the tour will actually take place in other parts of the building in which the Chetham’s Library is located. Your tour guide will tell you about the history of the building, some information about John Dee and the legend of his Satanic summons, and show you the medieval hall.
Finally, you’ll get to venture upstairs to see the gorgeous Chetham’s Library. You won’t be able to pull books off the shelves, as they are housed behind metal enclosures. But you can take in the overall grandeur and impressiveness of the library.
One of the oldest books in Chetham’s Library is a first edition copy of Homer, in the original Greek! Sadly, it’s not on display, but ask your tour guide to point it out for you on the shelf.
Also not on display, the library does carry 5 early copies of Mary Barton: A Tale of Manchester Life by Elizabeth Gaskell, whose house at 84 Plymouth Grove is another literary destination in Manchester you shouldn’t miss.
In the reading room of the library, you can see (and sit at) the desk where Marx and Engels worked, and see up-close some of the original chained books. Then, you’ll have some time to wander the library yourself, taking in the beauty and that inimitable old book smell. Make sure to stop and appreciate the 17th century wooden hand printing press also on display in the library.
Chetham’s Library tours are only available on weekdays (Monday through Friday), usually at
- 11 am
- 1:30 pm, and
- 3 pm
However, tour availability may be different on certain days, so always check a couple of weeks before you plan to visit. You do need to pre-book a spot in a Chetham’s Library tour.
Travel tip: If you’re a traveling book lover in Manchester, you’ll also want to stop in to check out the Portico Library, a library housed inside a Greek-style temple.
As of 2023, prices to tour Chetham’s Library are as follows:
- £12 for general admission
- £10 for seniors and students
- £6 for children over 13
- Free for children 12 and under with a paying adult
Tip: You can buy used books at Chetham’s Library! In the reading room, near where Marx and Engels’s table is located, is a small selection of secondhand books for purchase, one of the secret places to buy used books in Manchester. Bring cash. All proceeds benefit the library.
Travel Resources At-A-Glance
All of the following are links to sites and services I actually use to book and plan my travel or to purchase books or travel gear.
For flights: Skyscanner is my number one go-to resource for booking flights. I love using the “explore” function to find the cheapest places I can fly during a given time or using the fare calendar to identify the cheapest days to fly.
For hotels and lodgings: For hotels, hotels.com, and for vacation rentals, VRBO.com. I’ve had much better experiences with private rentals through this website than through other popular private vacation rental websites.
For car rentals: Kayak allows comparisons across a wide range of booking agencies and lists reviews of companies as well. I’ve found this to be the most user-friendly and efficient way to compare car rental prices.
For tours & excursions: Viator and Get Your Guide are my top choices for booking excursions and tour experiences in a new destination.
For travel gear: Amazon.com and REI for more outdoorsy items. Check out my travel gear recs here.
For booking trains & buses: I find the Omio app and website to be the most easily navigable for comparing options for public transportation, especially in Europe,
Best travel credit card: My favorite travel rewards credit card for European travel has been the Chase Sapphire Rewards card. Visa is accepted just about everywhere in Europe, and there are no foreign transaction fees on the card. Some of the travel benefits I love on the Chase Sapphire include free TSA pre-check or Global Entry (worth it every time), an annual $200 travel credit, an annual $200 hotel benefit, built-in rental car, and trip insurance, and points are worth 50% more when used to book travel. I travel around Europe a LOT, and I end up with many free flights and hotel stays from using my points on my Chase Sapphire.
For books: Bookshop.org often has prices as good as Amazon or sometimes better, but profits go to indie bookstores all over the country. Whenever possible, consider buying your books from this online indie bookshop resource.
Hopefully when you make it to Manchester, England, you’ll make it a priority to join one of these Chetham’s Library tours. It’s well worth the time and the price of admission. I mean, how many chances does a person really get to see a hoofprint of the Devil?
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Amazing library! Even if it didn’t make it into the Harry Potter movies, the vibe did! I see what you mean that it looks like it could have been perfect!
The stories about John Dee and the Devil’s footprint are really interesting too. I love old places with history like this.
Hi Constance! I am really amused by your tour here in Chetham’s library. I remember when I was in college and one of our topics in Philosophy was Karl Marx. Visiting the library feels like working with Marx and Engel!