Collections: Library Toggle Main Menu

The Library has been a central component of the Order of St John since at least 1838 when its very first books were housed in a locked box at the house of the Secretary. Today, the Library holds an extensive collection of historical and modern resources which provide scholars, students and enthusiasts with invaluable materials to explore and research the captivating history of the Order. 

The collections encompass a wide range of items, from beautifully illuminated manuscripts, such as the famous Rhodes Missal, to early printed books and ephemera, but also modern monographs, journals, and other reference materials. These resources are divided between the Mellows Library, dedicated to preserving the historical collections and rare items, and the Reference Library, which houses modern resources for the study of the history of the Order and related themes. 

Central to the Library’s collections is the history of the Knights Hospitaller, spanning from their inception in the Holy Land to their sovereignty in Rhodes and Malta; but the collections also cover various related subjects such as the Crusades, the Knights Templar and the history of the Latin East. Alongside this historical focus, our library resources also document the more recent history of the British Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem – including its charitable foundations St John Ambulance and St John Ophthalmic Hospital.