Gladstone's Library, Hawarden, Flintshire

Details

Accessibility

https://www.gladstoneslibrary.org/accommodation/

2026: "We have two ensuite bedrooms on the ground floor which are general accessible bedrooms with grab handles and wet-room-style bathrooms.  Please note that our remaining 24 bedrooms are spread over our first and second floors and the Library does not have a lift. Guests who have restricted mobility should telephone or email Reception to ensure that they are given a ground floor room.

Wheelchair access is available into the building and throughout the ground floor. We also have an accessible toilet cubicle. We have facilities for deaf and hearing-impaired guests, including a Deafgard vibrating fire alarm system and Comfort Contego hearing loops for any guests attending courses, workshops or conferences. Please inform us on booking if you require these aids.

If you have an assistance animal, please contact us before your visit so we can carry out a risk assessment and help make your visit goes smoothly (email: enquiries@gladlib.org)."

https://www.gladstoneslibrary.org/reading-rooms/

Due to the age and the nature of the building, the upper level of the Reading Rooms and the Annex are not accessible by wheelchair-users. However if you require any items from these areas, please do ask at the Enquiry Desk and we will be happy to bring them to you.

Brief description

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gladstone%27s_Library#

2026: "Gladstone's Library, known until 2010 as St Deiniol's Library (Welsh: Llyfrgell Deiniol Sant), is a residential library in Hawarden, Flintshire, Wales, UK.[1]

Gladstone's Library is Britain's only Prime Ministerial Library and serves as the national memorial to William Ewart Gladstone.[2] It is home to a large collection of printed items and archives that reflects Gladstone's main interests in history, literature, theology, and politics. 

The library was founded by William Gladstone in 1894. He was eager to share his personal library with others, especially those who faced financial constraint.[3] He would allow bright children and young adults of the village of Hawarden to use his collection. His daughter Mary Gladstone said that his desire was to "bring together books who had no readers with readers who had no books".[4][5]

In 1895, at the age of 85, William Gladstone gave £40,000 to the library as well as much of his own book collection. With the help of his daughter and his valet, he wheeled a selection of his books three quarters of a mile (1.2km) between his home at Hawarden Castle and the library. He unpacked them and put them onto shelves using his own classification system.

In a diary entry dated 23 December 1895, he described the library's founding: "I have this day constituted my trust at St Deiniol's. The cost of the work has been I think £41 to £42000, including some charges of maintenance to Dec. 31. 95. May God of His mercy prosper it."[6]

Following his death in 1898, a public appeal was launched for funds to provide a permanent building to house the collection and replace the temporary structure. The £9,000 raised provided an imposing building, designed by John Douglas, which was officially opened by Earl Spencer on 14 October 1902 as the National Memorial to W.E. Gladstone.[7] The Gladstone family fulfilled the founder's vision by funding the residential wing, which welcomed its first resident on 29 June 1906.

The library is a Grade I listed building[8] and a registered charity.[9]

The building includes historical reading rooms, 26 bedrooms for overnight guests, a guest lounge, cafe and restaurant.[10]

The library runs regular tours, talks, workshops, masterclasses and residential courses.[11]

The library holds 20,000 volumes belonging to William Ewart Gladstone in its Foundation Collection, many of which contain Gladstone's own annotations, as well as over 150,000 books, pamphlets, and journals in its circulating collection.[12]

It also holds the Glynne-Gladstone Archive, containing the personal, family, business, and estate correspondence and papers of the Glynne and Gladstone families."

https://www.gladstoneslibrary.org/about/frequently-asked-questions/

"Accommodation: Quiet spaces, warm welcome.https://www.gladstoneslibrary.org/accommodation/

Gladstone’s Library is the UK’s only residential library with a collection of over 150,000 items to explore. A place for serious study or a relaxing retreat for book lovers, the longer you stay, the more you will enjoy Gladstone’s Library. As a resident you have use of the Reading Rooms from 9am – 5pm daily, and access to the Theology Room until 10pm.

The Gladstone’s Room lounge provides comfortable sofas, newspapers and jigsaws and a relaxed space to meet and chat during your stay.

You can also make use of our honesty bar that is open daily from 5pm.

All of our bedrooms have private bathroom facilities (mostly ensuite), free Wi Fi access, tea and coffee making facilities, a hairdryer and a radio.

A continental breakfast is included as part of your stay and is available from 8am to 9.30am.
Gladstone’s Library is an independent charity that relies on the kindness of supporters, funders, and donors, who share our values. It costs £100,000 a month to run Gladstone’s Library, so we need to raise over £1 million pounds every year. As part of our ongoing fundraising campaign, we have added a small £3 voluntary donation to your stay which will help ensure our collections remain free to access."

Address

Email

enquiries@gladlib.org

+ To find out more about our archives and collections, contact library@gladlib.org

Phone

+44 (0)1244 532350 Our Reception is available from 8am to 5pm every day.

Website

https://www.gladstoneslibrary.org/

https://www.facebook.com/gladlib/

Directions

Opening Times

Always check with the venue directly for up-to-date information including opening times and admission charges as they may be subject to change

2026: "Our Reception is available from 8am to 5pm every day." See https://www.gladstoneslibrary.org/reading-rooms/

Transport

For further travel information in Wales please see: www.traveline.cymru/travel-info

Or call Traveline Cymru on 0800 464 0000

Amenities

https://www.gladstoneslibrary.org/chapel/

https://www.gladstoneslibrary.org/conference/ We offer a comprehensive suite of professional services designed to meet your specific needs, including retreats, off-site meetings, corporate training sessions, business presentations, panel interviews, committee meetings, and tailored one-on-one consultations. Our flexible approach ensures that we can effectively address your unique requirements.

If you are an event organiser, a member of a group or society, or planning a special occasion, we invite you to consult with our team to discuss how we can best accommodate your needs. Please email us conferencebookings@gladlib.org or call us on 01244 532350 and press option 3. 

Our meeting rooms are available for hire on a flexible basis, either on a room-only option or as part of an all-inclusive package that features catering, refreshments, and accommodation. These spaces can be reserved for morning, afternoon, or evening sessions and can be customised to fit your specific requirements.

No pets (companion animals) are permitted within the building. If you have an assistance animal, please contact us before your visit so we can carry out a risk assessment and help make your visit go smoothly (email enquiries@gladlib.org).

Companion animals are allowed in the outside grounds, but owners must remove any waste and keep their dog on a lead. Please do not leave your dog in a car. We reserve the right to ask owners to leave if their dog is being disruptive.

To the East is North East Wales Archives (Hawarden)

The Old Rectory, Rectory Lane, Hawarden, Deeside CH5 3NN