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The Architecture of the English Domestic Library, 1600–1700

Abstract The seventeenth century saw the dramatic growth of book collections, as books became a desirable commodity. The ruling classes used books to strengthen their political, social and intellectual hegemony, and the reading and collection of books was perceived as indicative of a range of virtues. At the same time, English society was increasingly receptive to new architectural ideas from the continent, and building and furnishing houses was a popular way of expressing morality and magnificence. This article identifies the relationship between patterns of reading, and the arrangement and architectural setting of book collections. Private libraries were a relative innovation, and the variety of approaches to accommodating them within the home often reflects the personal implications was conducted in the same terms used to debate the worth of reading and knowledge, and architectural display was a useful means of advertising an educated persona. The use of architectural style is also examined, since different motifs and stylistic approaches were attributed with different meanings, which related to shared ideas about knowledge, and its place within society.