Statement on the Freehold Sale of 14 Gordon Square

04/02/2024

The Dr Williams’s Trust, London, and University College London (UCL) have
exchanged contracts on the Freehold Sale of the Dr Williams Library, 14
Gordon Square, and the Henry Morley Building.
 
The Library was originally built as University College halls of residence in 1848
to mark the passing of the Dissenters' Chapels Act in 1844. The listed building
was designed by Thomas Leverton Donaldson (1795-1885), Professor of
Architecture at University College London. Acquired by the Dr Williams's Trust
in 1889 it has been the home of its nationally significant library, among the
foremost holdings on the British Protestant Dissenting tradition. The Henry
Morley Building was a later addition to the site and is currently occupied by
UCL under a long lease.
 
This acquisition by UCL re-establishes the historic link between the Gordon
Square building and the UCL campus. Happily, the library collections will
remain in the ownership of the Dr Williams’s Trust and their future
management will be announced in due course.

NEWS

9:50am, 11/12/23

The 2023  Friends of Dr William’s Library Annual Lecture ‘The “Moderate” Puritanism of Samuel Ward of Ipswich’ Thiis well-attended annual lecture took place in association with the Religious History of Britain 1500-1800 Seminar Series and took place at Senate House, University of London. https://www.history. read more …

6:39pm, 20/01/23

There will be no further access to research material (primary or secondary)  belonging to the Dr Williams’s Trust from 1st February 2023.   This is to facilitate the Trust’s disposal of 14 Gordon Square.   Nonetheless, arrangements are being finalised to provide access to material from autumn 2023 onwards and these will be announced in due course. read more …

 
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