One of Wales’s earliest ecclesiastical manuscripts, the 12th-century Book of Llandaff (NLW MS 17110E), was disbound in October 2006 prior to digitization for the National Library’s website. It was originally bound between oak boards, one of which remains, adorned with a rare bronze figure of Christ in Majesty, of mid-13th century English workmanship.
The decision to disbound such a valuable early manuscript was not taken lightly. The tightness of the relatively modern 1892 British Museum binding, together with the obvious deterioration of some repair work, left conservation officers with no option but to peel back the covers, and unveil the volume’s structure. This gave our photographers a rare chance to capture images of the entire contents of the 128 parchment leaves, including some words and letters previously hidden in the manuscript’s binding.
Mr Julian Thomas, Head of the Conservation Treatment Unit at the National Library, supervised an exhaustive process during which each leaf of the manuscript was examined and repaired, prior to being joined to new bifolios and gatherings for a new binding.
In the future, the manuscript’s old covers and its leaves are to be kept apart. The covers have been attached to a false text block, and the figure of Christ in Majesty attached to the original board using wooden pegs. During the next few weeks, the manuscript leaves are to be to be laced into new thick boards of Welsh oak covered with tawed calfskin.
Maredudd ap Huw