The MWRC Library and Study Centre

The Manchester Wesley Research Centre (MWRC) Library is well-equipped to provide you with a comfortable and welcoming study base. It is conveniently open for long hours each day.

Beginning with a few hundred books in the early 2010s, the library has grown to nearly 10,000 items, built up through support from our partner institutions and from several generous donations.

The library holds a wide range of recent and historic books, pamphlets, and periodicals on the Wesleyan and related traditions. One highlight is the MWRC Rare Books collection containing many rare books relating to the history and theology of the Wesleyan and related traditions. The MWRC also has an impressive collection of over 200 largely unpublished PhD and master’s theses and dissertations in Wesleyan studies.

You can explore the various MWRC special collections in the NTC library catalogue here. Some of our unique collections include:

  • Allan Longworth Rare Books     

  • Anglican-Methodist Unity

  • Charles Jones Collection

  • Methodist Church Documents [British]            

  • Pamphlets

  • Periodicals [spreadsheet of periodicals available here]

  • PhD and Master's Theses and Dissertations

The MWRC is actively building its specialist library. Lists of books recently acquired by the MWRC can be found here: 2013-14 acquisitions, 2014-15 acquisitions, 2015-16 acquisitions, 2016-17 acquisitions, 2017-18 acquisitions, 2018-19 acquisitions, 2019-20 acquisitions, 2020-21 acquisitions, 2021-22 acquisitions, 2022-23 acquisitions, 2023-24 acquisitions. We also obtained donations/discounted purchases from Paul Taylor, the late Dr E. C. A. Huckett, and John H. Lenton in summer 2014. Recently major donations have been received from Revd Dr Herbrt Boyd McGonigle (1939-), Revd Dr Stephen Hatcher (1943-), Dr Charles Edwin Jones (1932-), Revd Allan Longworth (1937-2017), Revd John Munsey Turner (1930-2018), and Revd Dr Ted A. Campbell (1953-). Donated items can be linked to the donors by searching their names in the NTC Library catalogue.

Connected to the MWRC Library and available to researchers is a conservatory that serves as the MWRC Study Centre. It provides a conveniently located study space with desks and armchairs.  

Nazarene Theological College’s library is also fully available to MWRC fellows and guests. NTC’s specialised library of about 50,000 volumes is housed in the Emmanuel Centre which adjoins the rooms of the MWRC. You can access NTC’s online catalogue here.

Our collections, alongside the support available to assist students and researchers, makes the MWRC an attractive environment for research into Methodist, Wesleyan, and Evangelical studies. We look forward to supporting your research.