Special Collections – The Hunterian Psalter

By Robert Brown on February 16, 2009 • ( 0 )

The Hunterian Psalter is a twelfth century illuminated manuscript, thought to have been produced in England c. 1170. It is regarded as the greatest treasure of William Hunter’s (1718-83) magnificent library of books and manuscripts.

This high quality volume of over 200 vellum leaves has not yet been digitised in its entirety, but a selection of images from the manuscript are presented here. This virtual display includes all the full page miniatures and a good sample of the historiated and decorated initials that adorn the pages of the text throughout. It has been mounted on the Special Collections web pages as part of the 2007 Hunterian Museum bicentenary, celebrating the arrival of Hunter’s collections at the University in 1807.