Excerpt from Bibliographical Notices of the Church Libraries at Turton and Gorton

Within the book-case, about midway between the top and bottom, there had formerly been placed two iron rods meeting at the cen tre, upon which the chains traversed. These rods, and probably also an oak shelf corresponding with them, appear to have been long since removed.

The ancient chapel at Turton (dedicated by the name of St. Bartholomew) in which the Chatham library was originally placed, was rebuilt in 1779; but that soon proving too small for the rapidly increasing population of the district, was rebuilt and greatly enlarged in 1840 1. Nothing can now be ascertained respecting the position of the book-case in the original chapel, but in the intermediate building it was raised on lofty legs, probably to occupy as little space as possible, and placed so high that peo ple could walk under it. Doubtless, this inconvenient situation led to the removal of the iron rods, and consequent severance of the books from the case. The books were at this time much read between the Sunday services, particularly during the summer months, and the usual place for reading was the window sill of the chapel. In the present church the case was placed within the chancel, with its face towards the east; but the books remained unattached to it, the chain being wrapped round each volume to secure the numerous loose leaves. Though, comparatively speak ing, clean and free from dust, the damp of some former period had destroyed the stitching threads, so that the sheets were not only for the most part loose, but numerous pages were dispersed among the loose leaves of many other volumes. To all but six books the chains remained (though in some instances they were imperfect), and the practice of using them to tie up the books had greatly injured the leather binding.

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