Restoration: Bishop Cosin, His Library and the Changing Face of Durham

30 June 2012 – 4 November 2012

Palace Green Library

John Cosin was a prominent figure in the seventeenth century; an ally of King Charles I, he was exiled during the Civil War. After the restoration of the monarchy, he was appointed Bishop of Durham by Charles II, a position that held considerable power. 

In Durham he embarked on major construction and restoration projects, including the building of his library on Palace Green. As a lifelong book-collector, books from Cosin's collection are still housed in his library on Palace Green. 

The exhibition celebrated Cosin's life and achievements through the difficult years of the English Civil War and into the Restoration period when, as Bishop of Durham, the changes he made to the city can be seen over three hundred years later. 

Image caption: Cosin’s Library.