Sanderson Room

Originally, Nathaniel Woodard, the Founder, envisaged two libraries at Lancing: a Fellows’ Library, to be consulted by College masters and churchmen of the Diocese, and a Boys’ Library.

The Fellows’ Library includes amongst its treasures many rare books on theology, a number of first editions and some fine specimens of rich binding and early printing.

In November 1920 the British Museum was commissioned to write a report on the Fellows’ Library. Many of the books were found to be water-damaged and in poor condition. They were ‘carelessly mixed’ with old magazines from the school library.

We can infer therefore that the Boys’ Library and the Fellows’ Library were at

some time placed together in what is now the Sanderson Room.

In the 1930s there was a dispersal with the arrival of Thomas Baker, bookseller and publisher, who purchased a number of volumes. In May 1971 another sale of books from the Fellows’ Library raised money for provision of books for the Boy’ Library.

Since 2008 the Archivist and the Librarian have been bringing together all original library books dispersed throughout the College.