Annals of S. Paul’s Cathedral by Henry Hart Milman

Annals of S. Paul’s Cathedral by Henry Hart Milman, D.D., late Dean of S. Paul’s, was published in London by John Murray, Albemarle Street, in 1868 and printed by Spottiswoode and Co. This is the first edition.

The book is illustrated throughout and includes a portrait of the author, as well as an engraved title vignette of the Altar to Diana.

Annals of S. Paul’s Cathedral traces the history of the cathedral from its Roman and Saxon beginnings, through Old St Paul’s and the Great Fire of London, to Sir Christopher Wren’s rebuilding.

Milman was the celebrated Dean of St Paul’s and a noted historian of Latin Christianity. He died in 1868 before the work was finished, and his son Arthur Milman completed it and saw it through the press.

Annals of S. Paul’s Cathedral remains a classic account of London’s great church, written by a man who knew it from the inside.

This copy is in a handsome Victorian half calf binding with marbled boards, marbled endpapers and marbled edges.

Annals of S. Paul’s Cathedral will appeal to collectors of London history, church history and architecture, and to anyone who enjoys a fine nineteenth-century leather binding on the shelf.

Condition – Very Good

Bound in contemporary half calf with calf corners over marbled paper boards. The spine has raised bands, with black-tooled rules and decoration on and beside the bands, and a black-tooled fleur-de-lis in each compartment.

A red lettering piece in the second compartment carries the title and author in gilt. Marbled endpapers and all edges marbled. The board edges show light wear all around.

The front pastedown has remnants of an old gift label. Light discoloration and scattered light foxing to the preliminaries and text.

The binding is firm and the text block is clean and complete. An attractive copy, overall in excellent condition for its age.